


The Broken Huntress

by CrescentSunrise



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, V3 Ep12 never happened, ever!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2018-12-30 14:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12110724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrescentSunrise/pseuds/CrescentSunrise
Summary: Yang struggles with the outcome of her encounter with a certain Faunus during the Battle for Beacon and tries to come to terms with the consequences of the event. But Yang should know that she is never alone.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, all! I've gots another story here that I wanted to share with the Ao3 community. I initially began this story after V3 Ep.11 aired. And I thought THAT was the tough episode, either way, I wanted to share my first ever completed multi-chapter story here. I would love to here what everyone has to say about by little brain child! I'll be posting this one pretty quickly since it is already completed. Though I will probably go through it and try to give a more polished version, just because you guys are awesome! Happy Reading!
> 
> P.S. I'll also only add more tags as they become prevalent to let you enjoy it more (I think?).

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter One** _

_'Dammit! How did this happen!?'_

That was one of the few thoughts that kept running through Blake's mind as she basically dragged Yang through the ruined courtyards of Beacon. The fact was that Beacon was being overrun with Grimm and she wasn't sure they would be able to repel them. She thought of Weiss and Ruby, were they alright or was their situations as grim as hers? _'Grimm? Oh God I'm starting to sound like—Yang!'_

Looking down at her trusted friend, Blake couldn't keep the tears from flowing any longer. She kept moving though, she had to. She wouldn't let Adam, the Grimm, _anything_ take Yang away from her. As she ran she would take glances at Yang, her complexion disturbingly pale and face set in a silent grimace, unconsciousness hopefully holding back most of the pain that the blonde must be feeling.

Blake couldn't look at Yang's arm, _'what was left of it'_ she thought. She didn't know what would happen if she did. She'd only been able to stop long enough to hastily try and tourniquet the stump that remained with the ribbon from her weapon. She could barely keep it together as is. The stab wound that the Bull Faunus had given her throbbed terribly, with each pump of blood she could feel seeping through her own fingers, trying to stem the tide. The exhaustion that continued to seep into her as she ran. The physical reminder that she desperately held between her body and Yang's. The severed portion of Yang's arm.

She wasn't sure how or when she managed to do it, but Blake, in her effort to save Yang, managed to save _all of her_. Blake hoped against everything that she could find someone soon. Too afraid of attracting attention of the White Fang or a wandering Grimm, she kept as silent as she could. It wasn't fear for herself though. Blake wished that Yang had never come looking for her, if she hadn't been so weak, Yang wouldn't be like this. Blake couldn't continue. She had been moving towards the docks but she was just too tired. Her vision had begun to fade. She could barely see in front of herself.

With the last of her strength she laid Yang down as gently as possible, and looked at the blonde girl's face.

"I'm so sorry Yang," she sobbed. "I couldn't save you." Blake brushed the golden locks that had fallen on the injured brawlers face.

_'I wish I could see your beautiful eyes,'_ she silently wished. _'Those beautiful eyes...'_

Blake collapsed beside Yang, almost protectively covering the blonde, grasping at the remaining hand that was still attached.

_~~YBYB~~_

_Beep... beep... beep._

That was the first sound that the blonde heard. The first thing that she could recall since she saw Blake being...

"Blake!" The blonde cried out, well she tried to at least. It came out more as a raspy attempt at speech. Her throat was so dry, she ached all over. She couldn't decide what hurt most at the moment. Trying to open her eyes she had to stop due to the blinding light that permeated the room.

Even still, she tried to raise herself into a sitting position, she placed both hands on the bed and tried to—

Wait.

She couldn't feel her right arm, no, that wasn't right, it felt like the feeling of pins and needles. Like when someone slept on their appendage and blood didn't quite get to it. Oh well, she'll just lie there until her eyes adjusted and the numb feeling went away. After a few minutes, Yang's eyes did acclimate. Looking around the room she became aware that this was a hospital. She also noticed that Blake was lying in the only other bed in the rather small room. A hospital gown kept the raven-haired girl decent, she appeared to be hooked up to a heart monitor but other than that, there was nothing.

Yang herself was a different story. She saw an IV drip coming out from under the sheets pulled to her neck on her left side. A heart monitor was also attached to her. It was during observations that Yang realized just how tired she felt. She looked over at Blake again, she appeared to be sleeping, having dosed off with a book in her hands. Yang couldn't see the cover but it was not one of the Cat Faunus' regular books.

Not thinking on it she called out to her, "Blake," like before, it came out as a quiet rasp. The beds were close enough that Blake could hear her though. Amber eyes jolted open and looked to Yang with a fear that she had only seen once. Right before she charged at the Faunus with the red sword.

"Yang!" The girl practically screamed to her, sitting up and wincing as she did so.

"Whoa, kitten, easy, don't hurt yourself—".

Yang was interrupted as Blake extricated herself from her bed and moved to wrap her arms around Yang's neck.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm here." The Faunus sobbed, "Everything's going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere." Blake forced out through her body-wracking sobs.

"Hey, Blake calm down okay? I'm fine." Yang went to embrace the girl, she still couldn't feel her right arm as she held Blake. "My damn arm is numb though," she said offhandedly, Blake stiffened as she spoke, "Give me a second to rub it out Blake."

"Yang don't look!" Blake said with fear, but it was too late.

Yang was staring at her arm in confusion, from under the sheets it looked much shorter than it should have. Yang tried to wiggle her fingers. Nothing happened. The heart monitor started to elevate with the blondes rising panic. Blake held her all the tighter.

"I'm here Yang, I'm here. Just listen to my voice." The words came quick and concise.

Yang wasn't listening though.

The sheet fell away to show her arm, thickly wrapped in fresh white medical gauss. The wrapping stopped before it reached the blondes elbow, with nothing else beyond that. That's when she screamed. Yang screamed and cried, thrashing in Blake's hold. Nurses rushed in during the episode and put some sedatives in the blondes IV to force her heart rate down. Through it all, Blake continued to hold Yang as she sobbed.

Blake wasn't sure how long Yang cried for, or when she herself started to cry with her. But eventually Yang began to calm, the occasional hiccup was all that happened for a time, after a while she finally spoke, words harsh from her tears.

"Could you get me some water? Please?"

Blake was hesitant to let go, but she soon did, turning to a pitcher and glass that was set on the end table at some point during the day. She filled the glass and turn back to give Yang the glass. Yang went to reach for it but she stopped and began to weep. She had tried to reach with her right arm.

Blake embraced the blonde again and whispered cooing noises and reassurances, Blake gently took Yang's hand and placed the glass within it, closing her hands around Yang's.

"Please, drink some water, Yang."

The blonde did so and sat quietly for a while longer. "What happened Blake?" The brawler sounded so broken.

"I was hunting an alpha, trying to take it out so the Grimm would disperse. I ran into Adam, my old partner. I fought him... and I lost," her voice beginning to tremble, "Then, you called out for me, that's when he, hurt me, and then you charged in and, and," Blake sobbed. Taking a moment to collect herself she continued.

"I managed to get us away but, we were bleeding so much, I passed out. Weiss and the others found us. We almost didn't make it. The only reason you made it is because of your Semblance." Blake started to cry again, "I'm sorry. I just wasn't strong enough."

It took everything Yang had to ask, "What happened to my arm?"

"I, I found it, carried it with you but, but, we were so far from help." Blake just sobbed, "They couldn't save your arm Yang, I wasn't strong enou—".

"Shut up." The tone was so hard Blake held her breath, looking away from Yang.

"Blake." Yang said harshly, "Look at me Blake."

She didn't want to. She couldn't bear to see the hate that waited for her in the blondes' eyes, but she did anyway. She deserved the hatred. She failed Yang, the woman with those beautiful lilac eyes. But when she looked she didn't see hate, she saw... understanding. Compassion... Love?

There were tears still, pain for the lost limb. Sadness of the situation in general. But she spoke, "This isn't your fault, Blake. I will never blame you for this, so please, don't blame yourself."

Blake covered her mouth and wept.

"And come on, I'm gonna totally get a super cool robot arm!" Yang joked lightly, "I can get Ember Celica built into it maybe too! How cool is that, right?" Yang grinned at Blake.

Blake couldn't stop herself, she thrust herself at Yang, wrapping her arms around the blonde once again and cried. In doing so she didn't see that the grin didn't reach Yang's eyes, a frown marred her face as she held Blake with her left arm, and silently cried while looking at what remained of the right...

_~~YBYB~~_

Almost two weeks had passed since the Battle for Beacon and the city of Vale occurred, and Yang had only been awake for the second. The blonde was surprised that she had been out for so long, though in hindsight, she had never been hurt so terribly. In those two weeks much had happened, she was happy to hear that all the members of RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, SSSN, and all the competitors that they had faced made it out of the battle to the best of their knowledge. Yang and Blake being the ones to get the worst of it out of all the students they knew. Though for everyone else, the same couldn't be said.

They won the battle, but it was hard fought. Without the air support of the Atlesian Fleet, casualties were taken. Soldiers, students, and civilians alike died in the attack. Blake informed her of the most important details. First, she started by saying that Roman Torchwick was killed in the fighting, fighting Ruby actually, the girl never landed the killing blow but she was present when he had been swallowed whole by an Alpha Griffon. Neo was MIA after her confrontation with Ruby, Yang was overjoyed that Ruby wasn't hurt near as badly as she could have been.

It was the news that Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, was killed in combat against the apparent mastermind of the attack. The information rocked Yang to the core, she always thought that Ozpin was a strange man. But a man who exuded an air of utter power beneath a facade of indifference. His death was not in vain though. Blake never saw the battlefield of choice but from the way it was described, Ozpin didn't stop until he knew the woman that caused all the suffering couldn't continue. In the aftermath, General Ironwood, Professor Goodwitch, and her Uncle Qrow finished the monster off.

Yang and Blake missed Ozpin's funeral, being too injured to be present. It hurt Yang and brought immeasurable pride in equal shares that Ozpin fought so hard to protect those he called his own. His students.

With the defences of Vale all but shattered, all survivors had been evacuated to the three other kingdoms and outlying villages that could help. All the students were sent to Atlas, and the citizens split between the three remaining kingdoms until a force could be built to take back Vale and repair the breach in its defences. Until then though, everyone was to lick their wounds, get stronger, and be ready for when they could take the fight to Vale.

Many were biting at the bit to move, chief among them were the teachers of Beacon, Qrow—and surprisingly to the blonde—General Ironwood himself. Yang wanted to fight too. But, she was afraid. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, not Ruby, Weiss, Qrow, not even Blake. She kept up a cheerful demeanour to hide just how broken she felt. She was a boxer, an honest to Gods brawler, and now she only had one arm. She was afraid she would never fight again. She'd wake up in a sweat after horrible nightmares of her own dismemberment, and dreams of watching Blake die that night in the Beacon dining hall. If Yang was honest with herself, the latter was what woke her screaming in fits.

Ruby and Weiss had come by to visit a few times. Some of them while she had been unconscious, hoping for her to wake. Neither of them had spoken much, though. Yang had tried to keep up good spirits for them, but, they both could see she wanted to be alone more often than not. Well… as "alone" Blake was willing to leave her.

Blake almost never left her side. Even after being fit for discharge, she refused to leave. The hospital was going to remove her forcibly to free the bed but someone, Blake was never told, pulled some strings and that was it, Blake was Yang's bunkmate for the foreseeable future.

There were days that Yang wished the golden-eyed girl wasn't there. Those days she wanted to cry, sometimes, she evening considered ending it all. That was probably one of the reasons that Blake would leave only if absolutely necessary. Yang could never do that though, end it. She would never forgive herself. Even in death if she would suffer for doing that to those she called family.

Blake had begun to notice that Yang was nowhere near as "alright" as she had claimed to be. It wore on the girl to see Yang in such a state. But it was the blonde who broke first.

"I can't take it!" The shout of frustrated anger was amplified by the cup that crashed into the wall opposite of Yang's bed.

"Yang!" Blake called from the bathroom as she ran in to the room, concern laced her voice.

"I can't take it anymore Blake! I can't eat by myself! I can't go to the bathroom alone! I can't even read a god damn book!" Yang's voice getting louder with every exclamation, reaching a sobbing scream by the end of it.

Running to the blondes side, Blake took Yang's hand and placed the other in the girl's lap, "Yang, I know you're going through so much right now, I can't imagine how this must be-."

"No Blake! You can't understand! I'm a fucking cripple!" The tone managing to scare even the blonde, "I'm a fighter Blake... what am I if I can't fight?" The blonde begged for an answer, but Blake didn't have words.

"I can still feel it." Yang admits, "I can feel it like it was still there, and it hurts all the time," tears begin pooling in her eyes, "And then I look, and, and all I see is this ugly, bandaged stump!" Looking into Blake's eyes she spoke, "What the Hell am I going to do Blake?"

Blake didn't have words. She couldn't see how to make it better without it sounding like the hollow reassurances that the two girls had been feeding each other through the last week. Before things could explode any further though...

"I apologize for interrupting, but I would like to speak with Ms. Xiao Long." Spoke a calm, confidant, and strong voice. Both girls looked to the door and saw someone they didn't expect.

"General Ironwood?" Blake questioned.

The man looked at her directly, "Hello Ms. Belladonna. It's good to see that you have recovered." He spoke with sincerity. Eyes getting serious again, he continued, "But if it would be alright, I would like to speak with Yang alone for bit. It is very important." The general stressed, when Blake looked concerned.

Blake was going to speak but was stopped by the hand that squeezed her own, "It's okay Blake, why don't you go grab some food. I know you haven't had anything good lately, go grab yourself a tuna sandwich or something," the blonde joked.

Blake looked her in the eyes, "You sure?"

Nodding, the blonde let go of the raven-haired girl's hand and gave a shooing motion, "Don't be so dramatic." Completely ignoring her own outburst not even a minute ago.

Blake sat for a second before finally nodding and leaving the room at a sedate pace. Ironwood gave Blake a thankful gesture before closing the door to the room.

Ironwood kept his back to Yang for a moment before turning to look at Yang with an expression she couldn't decipher. She knew that the look was not pity, or something similar to it, but it wasn't a happy look either. Ironwood walked up to the bed and sat in the chair that Blake had just vacated, entwining his fingers together, elbows on his knees, he spoke, "So, Yang—may I call you Yang?" he started off.

With a nod from the blonde he continued, "So, Yang, tell me, how is your arm doing?"

Confused, Yang lifted her left arm, "Its fine, I guess, why?"

Shaking his head he clarified, "No Yang, how is your _other arm?"_

"What the Hell would you know about it?" The tone was utterly frigid.

"Phantom Pain," He started, "It occurs almost always after an... amputation." He spoke. Before Yang could speak he moved on, "Phantom Limb, the sensation that what's gone is still there. It feels like it can move, or you can feel something touching it when you know there isn't. These symptoms vary from patient to patient," Ironwood stood up and unbuttoned his jacket, "These are both extremely common in amputee victims, sometimes happens with an organ removal, like the appendix," He then removed the glove of his right hand to reveal it was mechanical, then his jacket came next, Yang was speechless as he continued to disrobe.

Beneath the clothes, Yang could see that the general's right half was composed entirely of metal, joints faintly whirring, no longer muffled by his jacket and unbuttoned dress shirt, "I know quite a bit about these because I still feel both to this very day." He finished, folding his arms behind his back.

It hit Yang then what the expression was. It was understanding. Ironwood was looking at someone who truly understood the pain that was ailing the pair. She looked at the man with a wide eyed stare, unable to speak.

"It won't be easy, Yang, I won't lie to you. But you can—and will—get better. I need people like you, and your team, strong people who can help take back Vale. There are people who care about you Yang, and I know that you are not fine." He spoke in a solid voice, "But I promise, that your team will help you, Ms. Belladonna has more than proved that." He, added, "And I will help you as well."

"Why?" Tears overflowing in her eyes as he made his proclamations.

"Because Yang, when you and the other students had the chance to run, had the chance to make yourselves safe. You all chose to fight. And what happened to you," Gesturing to the wrapped limb, "Is something that I never wished to see happen to another person. But I owe it to you. When you needed my help, Ozpin's help." He added. "We failed you." Ironwood showed so much emotion in his eyes then, "And I won't stand by and fail you again, not after you sacrificed so much for your friends and family."

"This leads to my important question." He states, then he grinned, pulling out a holographic projector, "Would you like to help me design an arm that will make _me_ jealous?" he spoke with a surprisingly playful tone.

Tears still streaming down her face Yang smiled, really, truly smiled since she woke up a week ago, "Hell yes! You're damn right I'm gonna help _Ironwood_.

James Ironwood stood stunned for a solid ten seconds.

Then he could stop laughing for almost a minute.

_~~YBYB~~_

Blake came back to the room but stopped when she heard the animated tone of voice coming from Yang and Ironwood, though his seemed much more subdued by comparison. Blake, silently as possible, opened the door to the room to see one of the most beautiful sights ever.

Yang was smiling, staring and pointing at a holographic image of what appeared to be an arm as Ironwood would make comments and alter the image to some specification that Yang had requested. The hurt was still in Yang's eyes, but it was it was as far away as Blake had seen it in a week.

The scene brought tears to her eyes as she walked into the room.

"Now, this is only a fabrication, and it will take some time before we can get to the point of attaching it. But with your Semblance, the process will go much quicker than with most others." Ironwood spoke, "Once the bandages are off I can bring in the prefab versions and see how they look, then we can continue forward after that. I'm going to be busy for some time, but I'll make some time to be here next week. The healing should have progressed enough by then, given how quickly things have gone thus far." Turning off the projector and standing, Ironwood turned to leave, "Besides, your roommate is back." He spoke in a playful tone.

_'Ironwood? Playful? What the Hell happened when I was gone?'_

"Sounds good Jim! I'll see you next week, then! I need to talk with Blake now anyways." The blonde said with a light tone, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Ironwood gave her a lightly reproachful stare, probably for the shorthand use of his name, "Of course, Yang. You and Ms. Belladonna have a good day." With that, James Ironwood quietly left the room.

Blake just stared at Yang with a tear filled gazed.

"Hey Kitten," Yang slyly said, "Should I get some sort of scratching post attachment installed on the new hardware?"

Blake still didn't speak.

"Hey, hey Blake!" Yang said breaking the Faunus from her sightless stare. Yang smiled. "I'm not okay yet. But I'm gonna be, alright?"

Blake rushed to Yang and cried. Hugging so tight, as if were she to let go Yang would just, fade away.

Yang stroked those raven tresses as she quietly kept saying that she was going to be okay. The difference from a week ago though, is that she meant it this time. She may be broken, but anything broken can be fixed with the right tools and a good mechanic, Yang thought fondly, thinking of the woman currently being held in her arm.


	2. Chapter Two

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Two** _

"Blake! Blake where are you!"

Yang had been searching for Blake for a few minutes. She was worried that she hadn't seen any sign of the Shadow Semblance bearer yet. Yang was confidant in the girl's abilities, but she was her teammate, her partner. Yang had just dealt with some White Fang grunts, this worried Yang even more. If Blake had come through here she wouldn't have left them to their own devices, she would have dealt with them herself. Either way, she was getting desperate to find her partner. The blonde wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something happened to the girl.

Then Yang heard the oh-so familiar voice cry out in pain.

Yang looked to the right, into the hall she was adjacent to. Yang saw two things, the first was the crimson blade being ripped from Blake's belly, and then all she saw was red.

"Get away from her!" Yang bellowed at the black clad Faunus.

Blake reached out to Yang and spoke so quietly that Yang couldn't make out the words. The man turned to Yang, sheathing his blade, and smirked.

Yang was literally engulfed in flames of rage as she let out an absolutely primal scream. Firing Ember Celica, Yang launched herself at the _disgusting creature_ that would dare to harm _her_ Blake. She would destroy the thing that had caused Blake to scream in such pain. Yang, in that moment, as she flew through the air, realised that she would do anything to protect the girl—no, the woman who was lying on the ground in agony.

Yang's right arm raised high, ready to deliver the most punishing blow that she had ever aimed at another living being, ready to _destroy_ the monster. As Yang closed the gap, the Grimm masked man moved.

Yang was thrown off course by the devastating strike, in her adrenaline high though, the brawler couldn't feel any pain from the strike itself. As she spun through the air she got a glimpse of the man, his stance telegraphing a finished move. Then Yang saw her arm.

Flying away from her body.

Her eyes locked on the appendage as she crashed wholly into the ground, knocked from the shocking sight and onto another.

The Bull Faunus moving menacingly to the fallen form of Blake, flicking blood from his blade. Her blood. _Blake's blood_.

"No! Get away from her you bastard!" Yang tried to crawl to the Cat Faunus' side but fell to her right, forgetting the arm was gone. "Don't you touch her! I'll kill you! If you hurt her I'll kill you!" the blonde screamed, her eyes losing their crimson lustre due to her fear.

He ignored her though, stepping above the weakened Cat Faunus. Raising his blade in one hand for a strike.

"No. No! Blake, run! Run Blake!"

The raven-haired woman looked to Yang with frightened eyes. "Don't look Yang."

But Yang couldn't look away. "Blake run, please run!"

It was too late.

The blade moving faster than the blonde could track, it removed Blake's head from her shoulders.

_**"Blake!"** _

_~~YBYB~~_

"Blake!"

"Yang!" the frightened voice of the Cat Faunus called out.

Yang was sitting up now, moon light coming through the window of the hospital room that she was staying in within the kingdom of Atlas. Face drenched in sweat, Yang was reaching her stump of an arm forward, as if to reach for something, or someone. Blake's golden-eyed face took up Yang's vison as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Blake?" Yang breathed out in trembling voice.

Blake sat on the bed and wrapped Yang in a body encompassing hug, holding herself as close as possible in her position. "It's me Yang. I'm here. I'm here," she reassured. "I'm not going anywhere." The Faunus stated firmly.

"The Hall Blake," Yang gasped. "I saw you. I saw… him. He hurt me, he hurt you, then, then—".

"It was just a nightmare, Yang." Blake said firmly. "We're in Atlas, he can't hurt you here. You're safe."

_'I'm not afraid he'll hurt me Blake.'_

"What?" Blake questioned.

_'Did I say that out loud?'_ Yang asked herself, "It's nothing Blake," Yang grabbed Blake as tightly as possible with her one arm.

They pair stayed that way for a time before Blake spoke, "Are you okay Yang?"

The words Yang spoke the day before came to her mind, _'I'm not okay yet. But I'm gonna be, alright?'_

"No." Burying her head into the crook of Blake's neck, shaking her head. Holding Blake even tighter, if that were possible. "Will you stay with me? Please?"

Blake seemed confused, "I told you I wasn't going anywhere and I meant it, Yang."

Yang shook her head, "No, will you stay with me?" Yang emphasized by tugging Blake more towards the bed.

Blake clued in quick after that, "Oh." Blake was quiet for a second. "Of course, Yang." Blake let go of Yang, unknown to each other, both missed the contact immediately. Blake stood from the bed to pull the covers back and motioned for Yang to scoot over.

Yang did as asked and lied down on her back. Blake got into the bed, lying on her side facing the blonde. Blake grasped Yang's left hand with her right, then enclosed both hands with her left, holding their hands between their chests.

"I'll be here when you wake up. Okay?" Blake said staring into Yang's lilac eyes.

Fear ebbing away, Yang nodded and closed her eyes. Listening to the steady breathing of Blake until she too fell back to unconsciousness...

Yang didn't have any more nightmares that night.

_~~YBYB~~_

_'Hmm, damn, I don't want to get up yet. Dust, it feels so nice right now,'_   the young woman thought as she came-to from her slumber. She was extremely comfortable at the moment, it was the perfect temperature and the air had this powerful, almost earthy scent to it. The woman snuggled closer to the figure that was giving off these wonderful sensations, tightening her legs around their own and placing her face into the crook of their neck and breathing that amazing fragrance coming from the figures' long tresses...

Wait... what?

Blake's eyes shot open and golden locks came into view. Blake stayed as still as possible, moving only her eyes to peer at the figure in front of her. Obviously it was Yang, remembering the episode that happened during the night, she had agreed to stay with Yang in her bed. The blonde, as far as Blake could tell, was still asleep. Softly breathing with the smallest of smiles upon her face, a gentle expression adorned her features.

Blake could look at that expression forever, happy to see that her presence had brought even some relief the terribly injured beauty in front of her.

_'Beauty? Yes, Yang is beautiful.'_ Blake fondly thought, looking just up from where her head rested, Blake could see the remains of Yang's right arm, trying to encompass her form but unable to. The sight broke Blake's heart. No matter the reassurances of the beautiful brawler, Blake still felt that she was at fault for the condition that Yang was in.

Blake was beyond ecstatic that, thanks to General Ironwood, Yang had started – _really started_ , to take steps to recovering. But it wasn't the same. Yang would _never_ be the same, for a piece had literally been cut from her.

It was true that Yang would eventually have a prosthetic to replace the limb, but it was just that. A replacement. That would never change Blake's opinion of the blonde though, Blake would always believe in Yang.

_'Because when she needed me to believe her once before, I hesitated.'_ Blake would think back to the Yang's fight against Mercury Black in the tournament. _'If I had trusted Yang from the beginning, like Ruby and Weiss, would Yang have stayed in our room that day? Would she have been with us when the attack started? Would she have been with me when I found Adam? If she was, would we have beaten him? Would Yang still have her arm if she didn't feel she had to save me that night? Because I was too weak?'_ These thoughts permeated Blake's mind at different times of every day, but they would always return full force when she saw the results of that night.

Blake pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, to dwell on them later, once she had done everything to atone to the one person that over the last eight months she should have been able to trust without question. Just like Yang does trust her. Yang had trusted Blake with her life and it cost her so much, Blake thought while looking back to the content and sleeping face of Yang. Blake wouldn't turn her back on Yang ever again, she swore to herself. She swore that she would get Yang to shine as brightly as she always had.

_'She's so beautiful,'_ Blake thought, _'You never deserved this, you never deserved the fearful looks that you were given in that arena,'_ Blake was torn from her thoughts as she realised that her lips were pressed against Yang's.

Blake went wide eyed, but she didn't want to pull away. She wanted so much to deepen the kiss, for Yang to kiss her back, _'Do I... love Yang?'_ The gold-eyed woman thought to herself. _'If Yang knew... would she kiss me back? Would she return these feelings?'_ Blake thought to the first day that Yang had woken and the look she had given her before assuring her that she wasn't to blame for what happened. She might have been imagining it but she swore she saw more than friendship in those eyes. Or the way that Yang would hold her, even now the pair were as close as possible in the shared space.

Or were these emotions brought on by the deep seeded guilt which she felt? She hoped against everything that that wasn't so. It felt too good, too right to be wrong – to be fake. Her silent revelry was cut short as Yang started to wake.

Blake pulled away before Yang could open her eyes and waited for the Golden Goddess to wake.

_'Golden Goddess? Wow Blake, you're flying high, aren't you?'_   She joked to herself.

Yang opened her lilac eyes, not having to adjust to the light coming from the window behind her. 'My God, those eyes are amazing,' Blake thought.

Yang's eyes focused and came upon Blake's waiting face, "G'mornin' Kitten," Yang grumbled in her "just waking up voice." Blake decidedly enjoyed the shiver it sent down her spine.

"Good morning, Yang," Blake spoke as evenly as possible, not to give herself away, "Did you sleep well?" She asked conversationally.

"Yeah, I did, thanks," Yang nodded. "Was having a good dream near the end too." She added of handily.

"Do you remember it?" Blake questioned.

Yang's cheeks went a shade or two darker with the question, "Uh, hmm, no, not really. It's kinda," Yang looked up at Blake's cat ears for half a second, "Fuzzy." The blonde finished.

Blake took everything in and came to a conclusion. A very interesting one that she found inspiration in from one of her Ninjas of Love novels. Her own cheeks going red, Blake replied, "Oh, um, I see."

They were both quiet for a time, not looking each other in the eyes, Blake trying not to think of how entangled their legs were at that moment.

Blake then noticed where Yang's eyes were focused. On her amputated arm.

"Hey, Yang," squeezing the hand that she had held through the night. "What do you say we get cleaned up and get some food?" Blake offered.

Yang looked Blake in the eyes, that look Blake remembered was back, but she still couldn't be sure.

Yang was quiet, just staring at Blake for in silence. Before Blake started up again, Yang spoke, "Well, that sounds okay... but," Yang shifted her feet a bit, "You're gonna have to pull out your claws before that can happen." As Yang said this she grinned the whole way.

Blake's face darkened even more than it already was as she extricated herself from Yang in a timely fashion, with Yang chuckling the entire time.

"Don't be embarrassed Blakey, I didn't say I minded." Yang said in a pseudo-sultry tone. Blake stiffened, back turn to Yang. The blonde saw this, "Oh, chill Blake, I was pulling your tail."

Blake's stance relaxed a bit and she replied in an absolutely smouldering voice, "Oh, well, that's too bad then," Turning to stare with one hooded golden orb, "I can get... _'Catty'_ when someone pulls... just right." Adding a shiver at the end, walking to the attached bathroom and leaving the door open.

Unknown to Blake, Yang's face went super nova for a second before going to a more realistic tone of embarrassed. Yang was having trouble swallowing right then.

Yang sat in silence until she heard Blake, "Don't dish it if you can't take it, Yang."

Yang just shook her head and moved towards the bathroom. The good mood didn't last unfortunately.

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang became aware once again, that with only one arm, there was only so much one could do when someone has always had the luxury of two. She could brush her teeth, the mess wasn't a big deal, she would just make sure her hair was out of the way first. She couldn't shower because of the bandages so she was forced to bath in the tub. Blake had to help Yang with rinsing her hair and getting in and out of the tub, the raven-haired woman had to stay with Yang as well in case Yang managed to hurt herself. Yang didn't complain too much because it was Blake, Yang was thankful that Blake so easily volunteered to help her, Yang knew in her head that the nurses could do it as well, but she didn't trust them with her body like she did Blake. Blake just _knew_ the way to treat her with respect. Which brought Yang to the next bit.

Her hair. Yang loved her hair more than most anything, it was tied to her Semblance so caring for it was a must. Yang wasn't able to brush it properly right now so Blake took care of that as well. Yang shocked herself again with the fact that Blake was the only person, aside from her step-mother, Summer when she was a child, to care for her hair. Yang wasn't entirely sure if it was out of necessity or not, but the fact that she let Blake do so anyway was huge, and Blake knew that.

Blake cared for Yang's hair like it was a fragile piece of glass, that one wrong move, one sudden motion would destroy the immense mane that Yang had nurtured to this point. It made Yang sad that she couldn't care for it herself, but glad that someone cared enough to treat her body as well as Blake did.

Even dressing herself, was a challenge to do, so Blake – again, took it upon herself to care for Yang. _'I don't deserve someone treating me this way. I've taken over Blake's life, trapping her here, taking care of me day in and day out.'_ She thought, a little disgusted with herself. _'If I had been stronger, Blake wouldn't feel like she has to do this for me. I should've been stronger.'  She thinks to herself. 'And I will be.'_

"Hey, Yang are ready to get going?"

Launched from her thoughts, Yang looked to Blake, "Um, actually Blake, could you just bring us some food back please? I'm a little light headed right now." Yang lied easily, it hurt so much more than she thought it would to lie right then.

Blake grew concerned, "Will you be alright?" she asked.

Yang grinned, "I'll just wait here for you. No crazy stunts while you're gone, I promise." It felt good to speak truthfully.

Blake nodded but the frown endured, "Alright. I'll be as quick as I can." She turned to leave.

"Get me a Strawberry Sunrise!" Yang added.

"No promises," Blake chuckled as she left.

"With one of those little umbrellas!" She shouts, "And no ice!" she adds quickly.

Yang laid back on her bed, thoughtful look coming to her face. _'Blake has been so helpful this last week, I don't think I'd have managed as well as I have without her. It's hard to see someone so strong and gorgeous have to help... whoa, where'd that come from?'_ Yang thought.

_'You know where it came from Yang, you are totally in love with the girl.'_

_'But does she love me back? Is that why she's helping me? Or is it's what a partner would do? Or worse, is it because she's guilty?'_ Yang's frown deepened, _'Nothing good would happen if she was with me out of guilt. God, please, don't be guilt. I... I need her so much right now.'_

"Careful kid, you're gonna hurt yourself, thinking that hard." Came a familiar calm and gravelly voice.

Yang looked to the door and leaning against the wall inside the room, was her uncle, Qrow Branwen. "Sorry I haven't come to see you the last couple of days, I've been... busy."

"It's okay Old Man, dad hasn't visited yet. Got drafted for some emergency work after that job he took before the tournament." Yang replied easily, "What have you been busy with?" she asked.

Qrow had a dark look in his eyes, "Personal stuff, things that need to be done." He said in a grave tone. His tone lightened, "And don't call me old!"

"Alright Doom and Gloom, keep it to yourself." She surrendered.

Pushing of the wall and walking to her he continued, "I'll let you in on it once I've got some more concrete info to go on," he glanced briefly at the wrappings, "And once Iron Head and I get you back in fighting shape." He finished.

Yang looked confused for a second, "Iron Head? Oh! You mean Jim!" the blonde exclaimed in a cheery tone.

Qrow looked concerned, "Jim?" he questioned, and Yang didn't like the insinuation.

"Ugh, gross Uncle Qrow! No way!" She spoke vehemently, finishing with a softer tone, "He really helped me Uncle… I was in a bad way." Tears came to her eyes, she rubbed them quickly, "He let me know that I was going to be okay. He understands." Yang finished.

Qrow quietly sat down beside her and drew her close, "I know. It's probably the biggest reason I let him come to you." He spoke quietly.

"What?"

Qrow nodded, "Yep, when old Iron Head heard what happened, first thing he did was made sure you and Blake got this room," Qrow waved around, "Also made sure you and the Lovebird could stay here together, figured it would help to have a familiar face for the recovery."

Yang was silent, jaw dropped.

Qrow continued, "Then he came to me, since your dad couldn't be here for obvious reasons; asked permission to help put something special together for you, also wanted me to make sure it was top quality." He grinned at the blonde, "Cause, you know, I'm awesome." He finished.

Yang was still silent.

"Ironwood plans to teach Blake the rehabilitation techniques you'll need once you're outfitted, for when he can't help you himself. After that, the two of us are gonna personally get you back to fighting shape. Once that's done, Ironwood wants to clear your team – well Ruby's team, for missions." Qrow gave her a little shake, "How does that sound, Firecracker?"

Yang finally spoke, "What do you mean 'Lovebirds?'"

Qrow looked at her like she'd hit her head, "I'm talking about the love sick kitty that has barely left your side in two weeks, the girl who almost killed herself to save your life, for which, I am eternally grateful to her for." Then he poked Yang on the forehead, "The girl that you seem to be head over heels for." He finished.

"You think she loves me?" She whispered.

"I did just say she almost died for you, come to think of it, you did the same thing."

Yang reached for her stump at that statement.

"Damn, I'm sorry Firecracker, I didn't mean it like—".

"I'd do it again." She spoke forcefully.

Qrow's eyes went wide at that, giving Yang a look.

She looked at the ground, holding what was left of her arm gently. "That guy… _Adam_ , he hurt Blake, probably would've killed her too. If this is what it means to do something for someone you love... I'd lose this arm all over again for her." Yang was surprised by the ferocity to her words.

Yang looked her uncle in the eyes, "I'd do it again for her." Tears pooled once again but she didn't wipe them away, "It's the worst thing I've ever experienced Old Man, it either hurts or I can feel it again, I'm not sure what's worse. But I would make that same choice again."

Qrow wrapped her in large hug, "See, what did I tell you? Lovebirds." He tightened the hug, "She's a good kid Yang, she's got some demons. But I'm all for it if you're sure, just don't go too fast, I don't want to see you hurt again."

"No promises." She said lecherously.

"Ugh! Gross Yang! No! No, no, no, no!" Qrow exclaimed, jumping back and covering his ears.

Yang laughed at Qrow's antics, "Then you better get outta here, Blake is coming back with breakfast soon."

"Sounds like the smartest thing that's ever escaped the trap of yours." He joked, standing and heading for the door, "Also, the rest of your friends are coming by today or tomorrow. And before you ask, Ruby told me, figured I'd warn ya!" he added.

"Thanks Old Man!"

"I'm not old!" he said closing the door as he left.

_~~YBYB~~_

"I'm not old!" The scythe wielder retorted to his niece as he closed the door. He turned to leave and was surprised by what he saw. Blake sat on one of three chairs staged outside of Yang's room, for when too many guests arrive so some can wait with some comfort for their turn, a tray of food sitting on one of them with Blake placed on the middle chair. Blake was crying, doing everything in her power to stay quiet, hands muffling her sobs.

Qrow looked at the girl first with confusion, then understanding began to dawn on his face as he silently sat in the last vacant chair, hands on his knees. "So," He started, "I'm gonna guess that you heard some of that then?" Glancing over with just his eyes.

Blake nodded, unable to verbalize a response for the man.

"Then I guess I should ask: What do you feel for my niece?" Qrow asked rather bluntly.

Blake was as silent as she could manage for a time, calming down enough to answer, "I don't deserve her." Was her hoarse reply.

Qrow just looked at her, "How do you figure?" he probed.

"I failed her sir, I didn't believe her when she attacked Mercury, and I wasn't strong enough to save her arm!" Blake spoke in a quiet but harsh tone.

Qrow sighed, "Alright, one: don't call me 'sir', it's almost as bad as calling me old, two: Guess what Blake? I didn't believe her either, almost no one did, so don't blame yourself, and three: You had a hole through your damn gut, you managed to carry Yang almost the whole way to the docks, _you_ made sure she didn't bleed out so help could arrive, _you_ saved Yang. Whether you want to believe it or not." He stated raising a finger with each point, "Would things have been different if you had lied to Yang and said you did believe her? Maybe, maybe not, what I know is what happened, happened." He said, standing up he continued, "So, do you have feelings for my niece?" he stared down at her, expecting an answer.

She looked up at him, "Yes, si—Qrow, I do."

Qrow nodded, picking up the tray, he held it out to her, "Then I guess you have a choice to make. One: You could go in there, and tell her how you feel, maybe things work out in the long run, maybe they don't. Two: You could not tell her, and wait for her to try and move on, but that would require you not being around her," Blake looked utterly aghast at the idea, "I didn't think so. Three: You could go in there and tell Yang that you don't want to have a relationship like that. It'll hurt the both of you, I can see it in your eyes, but you both could try and move on, maybe even help each other." Qrow scratched at his head, "I know these seem like really bad choices but, it's all I got kid. Look, I like you, you've done nothing but the best you can for that girl in there," Pointing at the door. Qrow took a knee then, still holding the tray, "But you've gotta make a choice. She's hurting, and I can't watch as you both torture yourselves for things that are out of your hands."

Blake slowly took the tray from Qrow. He stood and continued.

"But if you truly care about her, if you do want to be with her, just follow your heart kid. It's scary when you face this stuff, even more so for you two, you both probably couldn't even admit to yourselves before that night that there might be something else between you two. And that scares the Hell outta you." Putting his hands in his pockets, Qrow turned to leave, "Either way, no matter what you decide, I still owe you for saving my little Firecracker, so don't do something you'll regret on my account, ya hear? Good luck kid." With that Qrow walked away, leaving Blake to her thoughts.

_~~YBYB~~_

She watched as yang's uncle turned the corner at the far end of the hall, her thoughts running rampant. _'Could I do it? Let Yang go?'_ the very thought made Blake's heart ache. Not being with Yang, in any capacity, the thought made Blake want to die. _'I guess it's decided then.'_ Blake took a few deeps breaths as she stood, _'Just take it slow Blake, Yang isn't going anywhere... and neither am I.'_

With that thought, Blake walked to the door and opened it with all the confidence the idea of being with Yang brought her. She walked into the room and saw Yang on the bed, right where the blonde said she'd be when Blake came back.

And Blake couldn't be happier to see her. With the words from Qrow and the proclamations Yang had unwittingly made to her, Blake knew what to do. She strode across the room to Yang, putting the food on the nightstand, then she spoke.

"I'm sorry Yang…" She spoke in a sorrowful tone, "They weren't serving Strawberry Sunrises today."

"Hmph! Figures there wouldn't be a decent drink for a recovering patient." Yang grumbled.

"Too true, but I wanted to talk to you about something, something important," Blake sat on the bed as she said this, gaining Yang's attention, "I, I don't think I can say the words I need to convey what I want, so I'll just show you, okay?" Blake looked to the blonde who sat just a few inches from her.

Yang put on that infectious grin of hers, "I trust you Blake."

Blake didn't need anything else, she steadily reached for Yang's face, cupped both of her cheeks, and brought Yang to her face for a chaste but firm kiss. Yang stiffened for a fraction of a second, then she raised her left hand and wound her fingers in Blake's hair behind her neck and deepened the kiss. They sat there, just kissing until they had to come back up for air.

Gasping for breath, Blake had tears in her eyes, tears of joy. "I heard what you said to your uncle, Yang." She shook her head, "I don't deserve you, but I want you… so damn much it hurts." She finished, causing Yang's face to light up.

"You're the only thing that keeps the pain away Blake." Yang confessed, "When you slept with me, that was the first night I didn't have a nightmare, I dreamed that you were giving me a good morning kiss. I didn't want it to end."

Blake just hugged Yang tightly, "It wasn't a dream Yang, I did kiss you this morning, I was just afraid of everything that's happening, I don't want to jump into something we're not ready for."

"Don't worry your pretty head Blake, I promise I won't _Yang you_ into the bed until you ask me to." Yang said cheekily.

Blake tightened the hold she had, "You did not just pun me!" Blake exclaimed.

"You bet your perfect butt I did, Kitten." Yang spoke with all the confidence in the world.

"You have the better figure Yang, and you know it." Blake replied.

"Well, it's _purrfrec_ t to me, and I think that's all that matters." Yang retorted.

"Please Yang, don't ruin our moment." Blake begged.

"Never Blake, never." Yang promised.


	3. Chapter Three

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Three** _

Yang woke from a dreamless slumber, a soft smile on her face for a few reasons. The first, she didn't have that nightmare again. Almost every night since she had first woken from her injury, she'd had the same dream, she would be hurt and then Blake would die because she couldn't save her. So a dreamless sleep was much preferable to Yang at the moment. The second would be the aforementioned Blake sleeping in the blonde's bed.

Yang watched as Blake slept, her features soft as she breathed lightly. Yang followed her motions, and took an immense joy in seeing Blake's Faunus ears twitch back and forth, unconsciously being directed to some noise. Yang focused on the ears for now, utterly fascinated with the subtle movements that they made, unrestricted by the bow Blake would wear. Yang breathed out a happy sigh and was surprised by what happened. Blake's ears twitched forward and back, like a satellite searching of a signal, face scrunching cutely for a brief moment.

Yang thought it was more adorable than Zwei.

Yang had a thought then, _'Oh, Yang, don't do it. She freak if you try and do that.'_ She admonished herself... _'Maybe just once more,'_ she bargained.

Yang ever so gently blew a small breath at Blake's ears, garnering a similar reaction to before. Yang just grinned like a kid at Christmas. But, deciding to quit while she was ahead, she stopped and gazed at the young woman. _'Damn,'_ Yang thought, _'I must be the luckiest girl in the world.'_ Yang reached to brush some locks from Blake's face. Though nothing happened, _'Shit, I forgot.'_ Glancing with her eyes Yang saw her right arm try to preform the desired action, unable to compensate.

Shaking her head; pushing those darker thoughts form her mind, Yang shift to try again with her left. She was met with success, raven tresses falling behind Blake's human set of ears. Yang silently realized that Blake would not look right without both sets of ears, be less than who she is without them. With Yang's small motion, Blake cooed quietly and nuzzled closer to the blonde, a small smile gracing her lips. Yang noticed then that she had touch one of Blake's cat ears. Yang quietly 'squee'd, _'Oh, I can't_ not _do something with that,'_ she declared in her mind.

That thought present, Yang reached out and gingerly scratched at one of Blake's ears.

The response was beyond amazing.

Blake nuzzled ever deeper into Yang's side, much to her pleasure, then Blake began to _purr_. Yang stopped then, not believing her own ears, but she continued to listen coming to terms that they had not lied. Blake was purring. Yang had thought Blake couldn't any more perfect, so she continued to scratch.

Yang was proven wrong when Blake outright moaned. This deep, almost guttural sound, Yang felt shivers go up her spine and tingle her scalp at the sound. Yang decided that she wanted to hear that sound as often as physically possible. Sadly, Blake refused to acquiesce, purring for a few more seconds before leaving the realm of sleep.

Yang watched Blake make a cute face before blinking the sleep from her eyes, nuzzling again before freezing in place, "Yang?" Blake questioned, voice eerily calm.

"Morning Kitten, sleep well?"

Blake nodded, "I did thanks but I have a question."

"What's that Blakey?" Yang asked, tone full of cheer.

"What exactly are you doing?" Blake asked looking up into the blonde's eyes with golden orbs.

Yang then remembered that she hadn't stopped scratching Blake's ears. Yang decided that she liked doing it, so she kept going. "I'm giving you a happy wake-up call."

Blake narrowed her eyes dangerously, "What makes you think that I'm enjoying myself right now?" Blake questioned with an icy tone.

Yang was unperturbed, "Well, if it wasn't the purring the moan was enough for me not to stop. God, Blake you have an amazing voice." Yang shivered lightly with that statement.

Blake then went so red that Yang grew concerned. Before she could ask if she was alright Blake hid her hot face in the crook of Yang's neck.

"Oh my God!" Blake sounded absolutely scandalized.

"Hey, you don't need to be embarrassed." Yang said, taking her hand away from Blake's head, immediately Blake relaxed.

"No Yang, I do," Blake started. "What you just did was _really_ personal, like, almost sexual okay?" Blake didn't sound too happy.

"What?" Yang was confused.

"It's not your fault, I should've said something but," Blake paused. "I didn't think that you would just... _do that_."

Yang was concerned now, "Oh, shit. Blake I'm sorry I didn't know!" Yang started quickly, hugging Blake. "I won't do it again, I promise." Yang vowed.

"It's okay Yang, I forgive you." Blake said quietly, "I'm just, not ready to go there yet." Hugging Yang tightly.

"That's fine. Honestly? Neither am I. I'm... look, I didn't mean to go over any lines like that." Yang assured, "I want to take this a little slower too. I don't want to mess this up." Yang said, rampant emotions taking their toll on her. The two just lay there, holding each other and basking in the silence. Blake was the first to break it.

"Come on, we should clean up. Ruby and the others could be here who knows when, and I don't want to explain what's going on while we're both in bed." Speaking ask she gently disentangled herself from the blonde.

Yang just pouted, "But I was comfy." Putting on a faux-angry face to make her point.

"Well too bad blondie, I don't want to be in that situation when we tell them the news." Continuing to the bathroom.

Yang brightened up some with that comment, "You want to tell them?" Yang asked.

"Well, yeah." Blake said, "They do deserve to know. It's not like I'm taking you away to elope."

"Yeah," Yang mumbled, "A little too soon for that yet." She said quietly.

But Blake heard her, "Yet?" looking back at Yang.

"Um, uh, I'm ready for my bath now." Yang got out quickly, hurrying past Blake into the bathroom to start the tub. Blake just smiled at the blonde's back.

_~~YBYB~~_

Ruby and the others didn't end up arriving until close to noon that day. So Blake and Yang spent the morning talking about whatever came to mind. Yang would tell some stories of her time back at Signal Academy, or some of the more fanciful tales that Qrow had told her in the past. Blake told Yang of the days before the White Fang was a terror group, how she would at the head of every rally, banner held high.

Yang enjoyed hearing Blake talk about things that impassioned her so. Her rallies, her friends as a child, her books—God, Blake loved her books—It brought a smile to Yang's face. It even took Yang's mind off the different feelings coming from her injured arm. Yang was always jumping between emotions but, with Blake there it made things bearable.

The pair were lost in a conversation when a knock came to the closed door.

"Don't come in! We're not decent!" Yang cried melodramatically.

Blake smacked on her good shoulder, "Yang's being dumb, come on in guys." Blake called out.

The door opened so fast that Yang thought the it might be torn from its hinges, standing in the door was Ruby. The red-tinted brunette locked eyes with Yang and ran across to greet her, "Yang!" she yelled in her high pitched tone, enveloping the blonde in a huge. Yang lost her balance and fell backwards, taking Ruby with her to the mattress, "Easy little sister! I'm injured here!" Yang chuckled.

Ruby missed the joke and freaked, "Oh my God Yang I'm sorry are you okay! Did I hurt you!" Jumping back looking like she might cry.

Yang picked herself up as quickly as she could, "Easy, Rubes, I was having some fun that all." Yang assured the short girl, "Just be careful until I'm cleared okay? I wanna be out of here as quick as possible."

Ruby nodded rubbing the tears that had formed away.

"Really Ruby, I told you to be careful, you only saw Yang a couple days ago. She still needs time to heal." Came the cultured voice of Weiss, walking to Ruby's side, arms folded with a semi-stern expression.

"Sorry Weiss," Ruby mumbled, "I just am so happy to see her is all." the girl defended.

"Don't worry about it Weiss, doctors say I'm healing real quick. Man, with how _Weissy_ you can be I didn't think you would need to chill out." Yang joked.

The three others just stared at the blonde.

"Eh? Eh? You get it; _Weissy?_ Oh yeah, still got it." The brawler declared, closing her eyes and nodding her head.

Blake and Weiss both face-palmed while Ruby went to give Yang a fist bump. "Nice one Yang." The tiny scythe wielder complimented.

"Thanks little sis," Yang raised her right fist to—

Oh, right.

Yang lowered her 'arm' and brought her left up quick to finish the move, "Whoops. I keep forgetting." Yang said. Yang looked at Ruby but she had a far away look in her eyes. Yang felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Well you do seem to have a blonde streak going lately Yang." Blake said affectionately.

Ruby and Weiss looked at Blake for different reasons. Ruby thought Blake had just made fun of her sister, and was gob-smacked. Weiss on the other hand, caught the tone of voice Blake used, or at least thought she did.

"Wait a second." Weiss said, looking between her two bed-bound teammates. Eyes narrowed, then widened, "No way!" she yelled pointing at the pair.

"What's wrong Weiss?" Ruby asked the Schnee girl.

"They're together!" Weiss practically accused.

Ruby just looked back and forth between the team, "Um, well they are on the same bed Weiss. But I don't see what the big deal is."

"No you dolt! They're _together_." Weiss emphasized by clasping her hands.

"Oh." Ruby said plainly. Then she should there and thought about it.

And thought about it...

" _Oh!"_ the girl gasped. Ruby turned to look at Yang and Blake, "When did that happen!?" She questioned excitedly.

"Um, I don't know, yesterday I guess." Yang replied lamely, playing with her hair.

"Ooooooh, I'm so happy for you two!" Ruby squealed.

"I agree," Weiss cut in, "You both deserve at least some happiness out of this debacle our lives have become."

Blake scooted over on the bed and hugged Yang, blushing furiously the entire time. Yang grabbed the Faunus around the waist in response, the pair smiling away.

"Ooooooh!" Ruby squealed, again. "You both are just so _cute!"_

"Thanks little sister," Yang motioned to Blake's bed, "Sit down you two and let's talk. The doctor will be coming by to give me a sitrep and new bandages soon." The others, sans Blake, had an awkward moment, "It not a big deal you guys, he's just gonna do a new dressing and tell me the situation. It won't take long." Yang talked about it lightly but inside, she was a little worried. Yang had refused to look at the wound undressed yet. Yang squeezed Blake a little tighter and Blake responded in kind, helping settle the blondes' nerves.

"So, tell us what we've been missing since they locked us in this in _hospital_ ble place."

Even Ruby groaned at that one, "Well lots happened I guess," Ruby started, not sure where to go with it.

Weiss picked it up for the young leader, "What she means is that we don't know everything. Aside from what we actually saw, most of it has been kept in the dark." The heiress opened, "It was a mess you two. After myself and the others dealt with the Atlas Mechs', we had to contend with the Grimm being... born." Weiss said.

Yang and Blake were aware of that situation, the massive flying Grimm which had smaller Grimm literally pooling out of its hide as it flew above the school. Weiss continued, "We realized that even the White Fang were abandoning their attack. So that's when we decided to attempt a retreat, there was no way to hold the school without taking down that," Weiss tried to think of a name.

"Kevin!" Ruby cut in.

Weiss gave her a look, "... I think for now we'll call it a dragon."

"But I wanna call it Kevin." Ruby grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Back on topic," Weiss continues, looking at the other two, "Without the airships that were lost in the beginning of the attack, there just wasn't a means to bring it down. So we ran. We tried to backtrack to find the two of you first but we had no luck, you must've taken a more roundabout route. Heading to the docks we ran into Pyrrha and Jaune, then Ruby."

Their leader took over then, "Those two said that Professor Ozpin was in trouble, that we needed to find uncle Qrow. We... that's when we saw both." Ruby sniffled, "I, I didn't see until we had got closer—". She cut herself off, unable to finish. Yang pulled away from Blake, crossing to give Ruby a hug. Weiss had to look away from the scene.

Finding her voice, Ruby went on, "We, we patch you both up as best we could, found a transport and took it to Vale. That's where we found the teachers and Qrow, they told us to get to one of the Atlas transports, that we were leaving Vale. I was scared Yang." Ruby hugged the blonde tightly, "I thought you were gonna, you almost didn't make it. Same with Blake. All we know for sure is that whoever... killed Ozpin, didn't make it out of Beacon... Uncle Qrow said he... made sure." Ruby finished.

Weiss picked up from there, "After we got to the transport, the doctors on hand managed to keep you both stable until we made it here, to Atlas, where you were passed off to this hospital for care. Ruby has been staying with me, and all the other students who, who made out have been staying in open dorms at Atlas Academy or in some hotels. Many of the students from Vacuo and Mistral are being prepared to go home, the students of Vale are allowed to either stay here at the academy or locate their families and leave to which ever kingdom they may have ended up in. All of the students have been given the opportunity to stay her though, and train. Atlas has begun co-coordinating with the other kingdoms to put together a force to take out that dragon. They think that it will be a few months before everyone is ready though. The kingdom councils' have all agreed to pool resources to build up on Atlas dreadnoughts and transports, a lot of people are scared of using the automated Knights for the force though, after what happened we can't really blame them." Weiss acquiesced.

"Good news I suppose is that The Paladins are going to be used so long as they are piloted. Many of the Vale students have been asked to work as guards for the production plants. Atlas is still not sure how the White Fang got their hands on the Paladin prototypes so security has been enormous." Weiss finished.

"Alright, could you put this conversation on hold for a few minutes? I need to check and redress Ms. Xiao Long's arm," a woman's' voice cut in.

The room looked to the person who had come in the door that the group hadn't closed. It was a woman, a Faunas if the tail lazily drifting behind her wasn't evidence enough. She was smiling pleasantly at the group, holding a clipboard, waiting for a response.

Yang spoke up for the group, "Have at it Doc," Yang waved her into the room.

The doctor came over and began to slowly snip away the gauss on Yang's arm, "Just be ready," the doctor warned, noticing that yang was looking at her arm, "It's going to look worse than it really is. I'll explain after I have gotten a good look at it though." Yang nodded and just kept staring.

Yang had been preparing herself for the sight of it. So when the wrappings came off, stinging as the medical pad stuck for a second, Yang thought it didn't look too bad. The opening had been cleaned up and pulled in on itself to be sown shut. Slightly red around the stitching Yang decided she had, had enough of it, looking away.

Everyone else respectfully looked away from it as well while the doctor maneuvered Yang's arm this way and that, checking her arm from all angles. She was very careful with how she handled Yang, being sure to not cause unnecessary pain to the blonde. Finally the professional grabbed some new gauss from a drawer at a small station in the room. She spoke as she dressed the wound. "Well, things seem to be progressing faster than I had hoped. How was the pain as I held your arm?" She asked.

"It stung a bit when you pulled the wraps off, and it hurts a bit when you moved it. It hurts right now too," Yang added.

"That's to be expected, I'm sorry about this, just bear with mw for now." The doctor apologized.

When she finished she backed up a bit to speak, "Well, like I said, things are looking much better than we thought they would. General Ironwood said that you had been fast-tracked for a prosthesis, which I should inform you that I was against."

"Why?" Blake asked the doctor.

The Faunus doctor looked at Blake to let her know she heard but looked back to Yang, "The reason I was against it was because of the trauma caused by the wound and the prosthesis itself. You see, he planned for a military grade version, much like his own. Those are designed with combat in mind, they usually lack inhibitors for strength, and the General has assured me that he will be taking care of the rehabilitation himself. But you Yang, need to sign off on this, presenting her clipboard. This has a waiver that will allow Dr. Green to perform the surgery and another that states you understand the risks and responsibilities of the prosthesis."

Yang simply grabbed the pad and began to read quietly. Before anyone could ask about it Yang spoke, "Jimmy talked to me about all the risks with having the new arm. We also talked about a physical inhibitor that I would need to turn off for combat. When I'm more comfortable we talked about having it removed but I thought that wouldn't be a good idea, knowing me," She joked. Yang signed off quickly and gave back the pad.

The doctor looked a little more secure with the information Yang had released, "Very well, the operation will be set fairly soon, they want it done before the wound seals completely. It'll save you time on the healing process in the long run." The doctor pulled a paper from her pocket and wrote on it, then passed it to Yang, "This is a day pass. I think that if you are up for it, your friends can take you out and get some fresh air. Just be careful, don't overeat, drink water only, and do _not_ overexert yourself. You lost a lot of blood and may get lightheaded." She cautioned.

"With that, I hope that your day goes splendidly," looking to the group. "Have a good time." And she was gone after that.

Yang looked at the paper for a few seconds, a grin spreading as she did. "Yes! I am so up for this!" pumping her fist into the air.

'Well I think that settles that then. It's cold unfortunately so would you like to go to the mall and then get some food? My father has given me back my allowance." Weiss said.

"Sounds like a plan, what do you say Blakey?" Yang asked.

Blake squeezed Yang's hand, "It sounds great Yang."

So Yang and Blake got dressed in some more presentable clothes, Weiss basically demanded that they get the pair some new clothes while they were out though. With an extremely excitable Ruby leading the way, the four of them left for what everyone hoped, would be a great day.

 

CS.


	4. Chapter Four

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Four** _

The quartet walked through the main lobby of the hospital. Ruby was wearing black designer jeans, and a black sweater accented with red strips along the arms and sides, the large front pocket of the sweater was made with a red fabric. And as usual she had her cloak pined to the sweater. Crescent Rose was absent.

Weiss was wearing her standard battle garb. Her high heeled boots, combat skirt, and bolero jacket. Yang and Blake wore the some very basic grey and black sweatpants and sweaters. Weiss was adamant that the girls have a day of shopping and chatting. Just be simple girls for at least one day as she had put it.

They walked out of the hospital and Yang was mildly surprised.

"There's snow?" she said.

Weiss looked at the girl, "Well Atlas is much farther north than any of the other kingdoms," Weiss explained, "There is snow on the ground most of the year. Thankfully though it isn't terribly cold all of the time. Come on," Weiss waved them forward, taking the lead. "I parked the car over here."

"Whoa hold up," Yang spoke, "You drove yourselves here? No man servants?" Yang joked.

"No. They had the day off so I had to make do with Ruby," Weiss said with a straight face.

"You let Ruby _drive?"_ Yang was incredulous.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Ruby said petulantly.

"Don't be ridiculous Yang, I was only joking around. I trust Ruby with a High Calibre Sniper Scythe, not a vehicle."

Everyone, sans Ruby, laughed at that. The group moved to the car chatting away, getting into the insanely expensive Dust powered car the team was off to one of the shopping districts of Atlas. Conversation died down as Blake and Yang took in the sights of the winter kingdom. Weiss focused on the road while Ruby listened to one of the broadcasts on the radio.

_"…with Atlas military personnel spearheading on production for the new Paladin Class Mechs' and fielding new Dreadnoughts repots have confirmed that scares of hostility from the Atlesian military against the people of Vale have been debunked through eye witness testimonies and battle action reports. The people of all four kingdoms are showing co-operation in the highest levels that they have been since before the end of the Great War near a century ago. And despite that facts that the White Fang was also involved in the attack on Vale, Faunus-Human relations have been quite positive. The actions of many students from Vale itself, notable actions from one Velvet Scarlatina…"_

"Good for her. She deserves all the praise that she gets. She was incredible during the battle." Weiss commented, pride in her voice.

The broadcast went on to speak about other Faunus who performed above and beyond acts of bravery alongside their Human counterparts. It was an extremely uplifting report which also segued into the more questionable practises of the Schnee Dust Company (SDC). Weiss didn't look at all upset about how the report had transitioned. Simply stating that "I am not the silly girl who hates Faunus for being Faunus anymore." Smiling at Blake through the rear view mirror.

The girls were listening to some music as they finally reached their destination, with Weiss seemingly being the most excited to be there with Yang a close second.

"Come on! Let's get started, I will not let you two stay in those tracksuits you're calling outfits any longer than required." The Heiress bluntly put it.

The pair chuckled, getting out of the car. Blake helped Yang out, it was more awkward a task than either of them thought it would be. Once again yang was reminded just how debilitating her injury was, and was beyond ecstatic that she wouldn't be dealing with it for much longer. Once out, Yang boldly wrapped her arm around Blake's waist, grinning ear to ear.

The Faunus girl blushed as her cat ears drooped for moment in embarrassment.

Her ears…

Blake raised her hand to her scalp realizing that she was out in public sans her bow.

"Hey Blake, calm down. It's fine." Yang said gently.

"But Yang it's, I haven't been in public without my bow since I was nine Yang." Blake said, clearly distressed.

"Hey if things are that bad do you need us to go back for it?"

Blake looked between the members of RWBY and saw nothing but understanding. They wanted Blake to be as comfortable as she could be. That fact brought great feelings to her heart.

"No." Blake started slowly, "I have all of you with me… I don't want to hide behind the bow with you girls. Someone needs to take some steps, why not me?" Blake asked rhetorically.

Ruby didn't get that and tried to answer but Weiss was on top of the matter. "She wasn't actually asking Ruby. You Dolt." Shoving Ruby playfully on the shoulder. "Now let's go!" Weiss said, "Yang only has one day until who knows when and I plan to make sure it isn't wasted."

Everyone followed the scarily hyper Weiss inside the shopping centre, immediately moving to one of the more streamline clothing stores. Everyone slowly unwound, letting all the stress and troubles that were going on around them wash away for now.

Ruby wasn't overly worried about much at the moment, Yang being her primary concern. So as long as Yang's condition continued to improve, then Ruby was content to wait for when they could be helpful.

Weiss was having the time of her life. She wouldn't for the life of her admit that out loud but her actions spoke much louder than she seemed to be aware. Weiss had never had many friends as a child, her sister, Winter, being her closest friend. The heiress was happy to throw as much money at the day to drown out her teams' troubles for as long as possible. That made her happier than much anything else ever had.

Blake, despite having said she was fine with being in public without her bow so long as her team was with her, had been beyond nervous and frightened of the situation. Though as time passed, Blake realised that her fears were being blown out of proportion. Disgruntled looks were few and far between and no one had given her poor service. Blake felt that a fair amount of the good outing was directly related to the company present. Said company being her team, and part of her team was Weiss Schnee. Blake was happy, even proud, to be able to consider Weiss one of her most trusted friends. True their friendship was atrocious from the start, but slowly but surely the pair became close. Blake wouldn't trade the hardships that came with being Weiss' friend, because she felt Weiss had more than earned the friendship the pair shared.

Yang though, her mood, though improved by leaps and bounds over the course of a few days was still dealing with her depression over her personal plight. Yang kept as good a smile as possible when her friends were watching, sometimes it worked, most of the time it didn't but they played along anyways. Blake would hug the blonde close in semi secluded sections of stores, whispering softly that she was there for her whenever she needed. Other times she would embrace her tightly, giving strength through the hold. The support kept Yang stable throughout the shopping spree.

No matter what any of them did though, it wouldn't stop the looks. Some were more subtle about it but many would stare at the arm of Yang's shirt that had been folded and neatly pinned to her shoulder. At first Yang had ignored the stares, but slowly like water going down a river, the stares began to eat away at Yang's resolve. Blake started holding Yang around the waist as they traversed the shopping centre, concealing the wound as best she could and giving an utterly terrifying look to any who dared keep staring. The complete protectiveness that Blake emanated was stifling to most but intoxicating for the blonde.

Part of Yang was upset that Blake thought she couldn't protect herself. But a much larger part was endeared to the statement Blake was making without any words. _"I dare any of you to stare. Keep it up and you'll wish the worst you got was my glare."_

But despite all the efforts made, Yang was becoming exhausted from all the unwanted stimulus.

"Hey, I'm pretty beat girls," Yang started, "I think I want to get out of here."

Weiss and Ruby shared a quick look, "Of course Yang, we've been here quite a while now," Weiss smirked, "And frankly, I don't know if we could carry much more for clothing." She emphasized by lifting the two huge armloads of different clothing and other care products. Ruby and Blake were similarly burdened with bags to a lesser degree and Yang even less so.

Blake bundled the bags she was carrying in one arm, then she wrapped her other around Yang's waist. "So, how about we head out then? Grab some food before we head back to the hospital?" Looking to the others to see how they felt.

"That sounds like an excellent idea."

"Yeah! Could we go somewhere that will give strawberry pancakes?"

Yang looked between the three of them, leaning into Blake, "Alright, alright you win." She looked at Blake, "But you are going to be feeding me. I am not gonna look like an idiot in a restaurant."

Blake grinned to hide the grimace, forgetting that Yang had trouble eating most food with only one hand. "Anything for you Yang." She said confidently.

_~~YBYB~~_

The team walked out of the mall moving to the parked vehicle to drop off their recently acquired goods.

"Ruby! Yang! Blake! Weiss!"

The girls turned to see the members of team JNPR. The four of them hurried over to team RWBY.

"Guys! It's good to see you!" Spoke the leader, Jaune.

"Yes, we're very glad to see you all up and about." Pyrrha said in her gentle voice.

"Yeah, we all got roughed up pretty good!" Nora said in her ever bubbly tone.

"It is a nice coincidence to see you four, how are you all?" Ren spoke.

Ruby went forward to greet the team with a hug, "Oh, it's so good to see you guys! We hadn't heard anything from you since we got to Atlas. And I think we're doing okay right now Ren, what about you guys, running missions?"

Pyrrha picked up then, "Yes, General Ironwood and your uncle have been quite zealous in making sure that Grimm activity is kept down, given that so many people are in such downtrodden moods. We have been clearing pockets of Grimm before they can build into too noticeable a threat, the tone everyone has taken is still attracting Grimm."

Jaune continued, "Yeah, but people are starting to come down from it all. So Ironwood has given us a break, we've been going most of the week." The exhaustion clear in his voice.

Pyrrha placed her hand on his shoulder, "We have been doing admirably, and you have improved greatly Jaune."

Everyone there could see what was happening—except for Jaune it would seem. "Thanks Pyrrha, but I still feel like I'm dragging us down."

"You're our leader Jaune, just because you are not the strongest, doesn't mean you are 'dragging us down'". The redhead finished with air quotes.

"So guys, this is getting a little too Yangsty for me." Yang said, noticing that things were going somewhere she didn't feel like going right then. "We were going to go get some food once we dropped this stuff off, wanna join?" she offered.

JNPR looked at one another smiling, "That would be lovely I think." Pyrrha answered for the group.

Since Jaune's team didn't have a vehicle of their own, everyone decided to go back into the mall and eat at the food court. Blake had quietly questioned Yang if it was alright but the blonde said that she would be fine. There were enough people to take her mind off of things for the moment. So arm around Yang's waist, Blake concealed her as best she could while the group moved through the mall. Pyrrha seemed to notice the closeness of the two but didn't comment on it as they walked. They decided on a diner within the mall, taking up a corner of the establishment.

Each team sat across from each other with Jaune sitting beside Pyrrha, then Nora, and Ren. The other side sat Weiss, Blake, Yang, and then Ruby. The group conversed quietly—well, quietly for them. A waitress came over to give them some water and menus, she silently eyed Yang—more specifically, her arm. A pointed look from Blake had her on her way.

"Damn Blake, I know I said I didn't like the looks but that seemed a little harsh."

"I'm not going to sit here and let you be treated like a side show. Gossip all they want when we can't see them but I won't let them ogle you." Blake said in a firm tone.

Yang hugged Blake's side, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "Thanks Blakey. You are too good for me."

"I know." Blake said smugly, giving the blonde a grin.

Team JNPR watched the interaction with rapt attention. Though it was the redhead who voiced what they were all thinking. "You two are together?" She asked, pointing between the two.

Blake smiled lightly, a small blush coming to her face from display of affection being seen. Yang had a faint smile and squeezed Blake before releasing the Faunus and placing her hand over Blake's on the table.

Pyrrha smiled at the pair, "We are so happy for you," She said sincerely. "Is this recent, or have you been keeping it a secret?" Pyrrha covered her mouth after the words escaped, "Oh my, I apologize. That was very rude of me to say that, I didn't mean anything negative by it. Forgive me?"

Yang answered for them, "Thanks Pyrrha, no hard feelings about it. But to answer your question it's recent. We started, this," Nudging Blake with her shoulder, "After I woke up. It's been an official thing for a few days so we're still going pretty slow." Blake nodded her agreement with the answer.

Pyrrha just smiled more brightly, "Well we are glad that you are together and happy."

"It's important to fine comfort where you can." Ren spoke in his melodic voice.

"Yeah! That's right!" Nora said, giving Pyrrha a not so subtle glance, that team RWBY didn't missed. Looking at Pyrrha they saw her glance quickly at Jaune after he went back to his menu.

Conversation became a little more subdued as the waitress came back taking all of their orders. With orders taken the group discussed a number of things, but it was silently agreed that no one was ready to speak about the events that led up to and the Battle for Beacon. It was mostly reminiscing times leading up to the tournament and some stories from everyone's pasts.

Though when Jaune spoke, everyone could see how Pyrrha devoted more attention to what he was saying. How she looked at him more directly or interacting vocally in response to his tales. Someone who was blind could see the attraction she held for him. Jaune seemed to notice something was different but just wasn't making the leap in logic.

Yang looked on in a bit of frustration which she kept off her face. _'That boy needs to get his eyes checked. Pyrrha Nikos has practically thrown herself at him and he just doesn't see it.'_ She grumbled to her self.

"So Yang, I don't mean to be rude, but, how are things? Have you been holding up alright?" Pyrrha asked gently.

Knocked from her thoughts Yang decided to let them in on her situation, "Well, honestly, I was really bad after I woke up." She admitted, grabbing Blake's hand. "I didn't want to talk about it at first but it really you shook me. I, I freaked out on Blake but before I did something I would regret, General Ironwood had shown up. He really helped me see how things were going to be and started to get me out of my funk before I got too deep."

Everyone, even Nora, stopped to listen as Yang told her story. No one wanting to interrupt her. "So, he showed me that something even worse happened to him. The man's right side is all metal guys." This wasn't a surprise to most of them, having seen him battle-worn preparing evacuation ships for everyone. "He literally showed me that I could get better. So him and me were working on a new arm, I'm gonna be getting the surgery pretty soon actually. Another week, two tops." Yang finished.

"Is that safe?" Jaune asked, "I'm not saying that you shouldn't but, I don't know anything about this... cyber stuff." He finished lamely.

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Yang assured, "If anything, if the doctors let me heal up fully then I would be grounded for even longer, this just speeds up the whole thing in the long run." She explained.

"Well, so long as it won't be detrimental to you I'm all for it." Pyrrha said, "I'm glad that things are starting to look better for you." The rest of her team nodded in agreement with the statement.

"Thanks guys," A tear coming to her eye as she saw the great friends that she has made since they'd all started at Beacon.

Things went on from there, asking questions of the style of prosthesis she was getting. Whether or not a weapons was going to be built into it or if she planned on having her gauntlets like before. Yang hadn't covered that yet but had been privately going over it with herself from time to time. Though after the meals were finished everyone realized how late it was getting, with Yang still needing to return to the hospital the group decided to cut things short.

_~~YBYB~~_

With meals payed for and everyone out of the mall, the two teams were about to go their separate ways for now.

"Hey Pyrrha, I wanted to ask you about something." Yang said as everyone was splitting up.

"Of course, what do you need?"

"Actually it's a little personal, can we catch up with you guys in a minute?" Yang asked.

Blake, coming to her rescue, "Okay Yang, we'll be by the car. Just try not to take too long, we still need to get you back to the hospital before they freak out on you."

"This will be quick, don't worry. That cool with you Pyrrha?"

"Absolutely," She turned to her team, "Jaune, I'll catch up with you soon. If not I'll meet you all in our room."

"Alright Pyrrha, just stay safe walking alone, we'll go slow." Jaune said. Then the two teams went their own ways, sans Yang and Pyrrha.

"So Yang, what did need to ask me?"

"Why haven't you said anything yet?" Yang asked.

"Whatever about?" the confused redhead said.

"Why haven't you just told Jaune how you feel yet?"

The redhead replied, "I don't know what you mean Yang." Clearly flustered in the blondes eyes.

"Come on Pyr, don't do this. Everyone can see it. Just tell me why."

Pyrrha was quiet for a few seconds, holding her elbows under her bust, "I, I want him to see it for himself." She said, sounding almost meek.

"Look, usually I wouldn't have said anything." Yang said, "But, things are different now. Look at me Pyrrha, I almost died because I made a really stupid mistake," Pyrrha wanted to say something, "Just let me finished. Please." Holding her hand up to stop the redhead. When yang was sure she would wait she continued. "I almost died Pyrrha. Blake too. I'm really happy that Blake and I are going somewhere but I'm never going to be the same. This," waving at herself, "Could have been you, or Ren, Nora... or Jaune. One of you could've died and then what?"

Pyrrha was silent, it seemed she didn't have an answer.

"I'm really sorry that I brought it up this way but, things aren't good right now and I don't want any of my friends to have regrets, things they may have missed because it wasn't 'the right time.' Please tell him. If not for you than for him. You are an amazing person Pyrrha, so is Jaune in his own way. You both deserve to be happy." Yang walked up to the Invincible Girl and hugged her, "So make it happen if he won't. Things could have gone differently, and we may have never had this conversation. Please Pyrrha?" Yang looked into the warriors emerald eyes.

Pyrrha had tears in them, she rubbed them away, nodding. "Okay Yang." Pyrrha returned the hug full force, "Thank you."

Yang pulled away grinning, "Anytime. Now go get your man!"

Nodding, the redhead walked after her team at a fast pace.

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang hopped into the backseat beside Blake. Getting her seatbelt with Blakes' help. "What were you two talking about?" Blake asked innocently.

Yang smiled to herself. "Just wanted to make sure some things were set straight. Nothing big, I'll tell you later." Yang promised.

Blake gave Yang a quick peck, "You'd better." Getting comfortable beside the blonde.

Yang glanced at Blake, then to Weiss and Ruby in the front seats, _'I guess I meant it. Things really could have been different. None of us might've been here right now.'_ Cuddling up to Blake her thoughts went on, _'As bad as things are right now, things could be so much worse... I don't think I would change it for the world...'_

 

_CS._


	5. Chapter Five

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Five** _

Yang awoke from a very happy dream, one that included the beautiful creature snuggled into her side, making her blush. The blonde kept her eyes closed and basked in the feel of the woman whose arms were wrapped around her middle, head resting on her collar with a content look upon her face.

_'Wow, I still can't wrap my head around all of this.'_

Yang thought of everything that has happened over the months since her arrival at Beacon and her first interactions with Blake. It made her chuckle to herself how opposite that the two of them were. Remembering that one of her first thoughts of Blake was that she had been a lost cause.

 _'How wrong I was about that huh?'_ Yang thought as she wrestled her arm gently from under Blake to stroke the girl's hair lightly. She kept this up until Blake slowly came from her slumber, face scrunching up in the cute way Yang had come to love through the last week. Blake opened her golden orbs and gazed at Yang with small smile.

"Morning Blake."

"Yes Yang, it is." Blake replied with a light grin.

"Well aren't you just a cheeky kitty." Yang huffed.

"You know, if it wasn't you, I would have probably hit the person who has continued to make those comments." Blake said in a deadpan.

"Well you know I do it because I think you are adorable, and amazing, and a boat load of other things." Yang said, still stroking Blake's hair, "But if it's bothering you I can tone it back for you." Yang readily agrees, not wanting to anger Blake.

"It's fine Yang." Blake says, brushing it off lightly, "Just keep it private. Just you and me please, I don't want anyone thinking that they can start saying those kinds of things to me whenever they feel like."

"That is an easy deal. I get to keep another little piece of you to myself," Yang says hugging Blake to herself and kissing the Faunus atop her head.

Blake lies in Yang's hold, breathing in the blonde's scent. "As much as I would like to stay here, you and me need to get ready. The General is coming by today remember?"

As a matter of fact, Yang had forgotten. It had been five days since the girls had finished their dinner night with team JNPR. James Ironwood had needed to push back the day he would be back with the prefab prosthesis' for Yang due to some unexpected work that come across his desk. But today was the day Yang would decide on what her new arm was going to look like before it was truly attached.

Yang was both excited and frightened. Excited because she would finally see what the finished designs would look like. Frightened for more or less the same reasons. Ironwood coming through the door with the prosthesis would make everything even more real to Yang than it already was. But with Blake by her side the blonde was able to keep herself mostly calm.

Blake could tell something was bothering Yang though. "Yang, are you okay?" she asked gently sitting up and helping the blonde do the same.

Not wanting to lie to Blake, Yang decided to tell her how she was feeling about all of it. The excitement, the fear. She wanted Blake to be with her every step that she was able. Blake simply held Yang's hand as she spoke, letting the blonde release her emotions on the subject. When Yang was finished, Blake spoke. "It's going to be fine Yang. _You_ are going to be fine. I realize that this is going to be really different for you, but General Ironwood has gone through all of this," Blake explained. "I'm sure he will have some tips that will help you. And when he can't be here you'll have me. I've said it so many times Yang, 'I am not going anywhere.'" Blake gave Yang a hug then got out of the bed. "Now come on, let's get ready. Ironwood is a busy man, we don't want to hold him up after he's already making time to be here."

The pair delved into a companionable silence. Blake reading a new book the she had purchased at their last team outing, and Yang listening to the radio quietly. The pair had been all but inseparable since Yang had woken just over two weeks ago. Partly from necessity and the need to just be in contact with each other. Blake and Yang sat on the now reclined bed, Blake curled into Yang's side with the blonde's arm around her shoulders. They stayed that way until they heard the knock of some expected company.

Ruby and Weiss decided to come visit. They had shown up the day before as well wanting to see the new arm. They hadn't known about the schedule change so in the end the girls had simply visited and played Ruby's new copy of _World of Remnant_ , hers having been left behind with almost all of the teams' belongings during the evacuation. It had been an awesome day all round with Yang coming out as the victor. Ruby had given her a run for her money but Yang had shown her ridiculous skill at the game with her trap card know-how. Back again the whole team chatted about whatever came to mind, waiting for General Ironwood.

"...So Pyrrha, she just up and kissed him! Can you believe it?" a bouncing Ruby spoke excitedly. "Nora and Ren told me all about the other day and I completely forgot to tell two!" Ruby squealed with excitement, "Oooh, I'm just so happy about this!"

Yang was grinning as she listened, happy that Pyrrha apparently hadn't wasted any time. "Well little sister, it was gonna happen sometime. I don't know why, but the girl practically melts when she's around our lovable friend." She said, not admitting that she had, had any involvement in Pyrrha and Jaunes' budding romance.

Blake, sitting beside the blonde brawler as usual, gave Yang a knowing glance. Yang returned it, saying with her eyes, _"Yeah, I know you know. No getting anything passed you."_ Blake simply turned back to her book, half listening to the conversation around her, a small smile adorning her features. She focused in when she heard her name, noticing that Weiss had spoken

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" the distraction clear in her voice.

"I was simply saying," Weiss re-iterated, "That you seem to be smiling a lot more."

Ruby chimed in, "You know? You're right!"

"What?" Blake said, perplexed.

"Smiling. You're doing all the time now. At least when I see you. You still have the whole anti-social, moody persona going but, I just see you smiling. I'm glad."

Yang made a displeased sound, "Gee, thanks Weiss. Now she's going to make an effort to frown at everything, you couldn't just let her keep going huh?" the blonde said, only sounding half serious.

"Hey, it seemed like a good thing Yang, and besides, I don't think you should have a monopoly on 'Happy Blake.'" Weiss said using air quotes on the last bit.

"Of course I should," Yang said, sidling up with Blake. "Blake is my partner." Yang declared proudly.

Blake stuck her face in her book to hide the blush that was going supernova across her face. Everyone in the room noticed and had a good laugh over it, even Blake joined in, if a little more subdued.

"See? She's already started Weiss!" Yang whined pitifully.

"Hush you." Blake said quietly.

Conversation died down between the team members. Ruby spoke with Weiss about some more potential team attacks while Yang and Blake sat in silence once again. It wasn't long after noon that a knock came to the door, without permission given, General James Ironwood strode into the room with a large duffle bag held in his gloved hand. The surprise was when Taiyang Xiao Long burst in with shouts of his daughters' names.

"Dad!" the pair shouted in joy, Ruby jumping to meet him dancing around the General to do so. James grinned as he kept pace to Yang's bedside.

"Hello again Yang. How are you and team RWBY?" he asked looking around to all the rooms occupants.

"We're doing good I think. Word is though that you have team JNPR running like dogs." Yang stated.

"Well they are an effective scouting team that's capable of getting out of a pinch. Not to worry though they are due for some proper downtime shortly." James assured.

"Yang!" interjected her father.

"Hi dad. How are you?" Her father came over and gave her a massive hug, careful to not jostle Yang too much.

"I'm doing good Yang, how are you?" He asked gently.

Yang gave him a small smile, "I'm getting there dad. It's just going to take some time. The general is really helping out, and everyone else too." Holding Blake's hand tighter.

Taiyang noticed, but smiled and didn't comment on it. "That's great Yang. Really great. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to be here sooner but it was just where I was and they needed help." The muscled blond apologized.

"Dad, it's not your fault. We're good." Yang glanced at the duffle still in Ironwood's hand, he had backed up to give everyone their space to talk again. "Is that what I think it is?" Yang asked him.

Ironwood raised the duffle to chest level, "Hmm, I don't know," walking over to the bed. "Miss Belladonna may I?" He asked.

Blake looked at Yang, gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and standing to grab one of the chairs and place close to the bed for herself. As she did this Ironwood placed the duffle where she had just been and opened it. Inside were two rectangular boxes, neither were very large, both were no longer than three feet in length.

"I brought two fabrications of the arm," He explained. "There isn't much difference between the two cosmetically but they will have slightly different abilities depending which one you choose. Both are based off of some of the requests you mentioned and of my design to try and incorporate them."

Opening the first box, Ironwood pulled out an arm. The colour of the appendage was a factory grey, the arm was fixed to be bent slightly at the elbow. Given that this was just prefab it would lack most if not all the parts required to make it function. The forearm bulged like it was meant for some half again as large as the blonde was. Aside from that the design was extremely sleek with the forearm being covered in a heavy looking bracer, meant for blocking heavy strikes and delivering them back full force. The hand was also larger but not near to the degree as the arm itself.

"This Yang, has been dubbed 'Knight's Guard,' per the specs for the kind of power you may be throwing around, this design is intended to take a beating and help you deliver more punishing strikes. It major drawback will be its final weight. The finished design would weigh close to 20 pounds, now I know doesn't sound like much but given that it's essentially only a forearm you will still be lifting it constantly. In a battle it is possible that you may tire, a prolonged fight would only exacerbate that. Frankly I don't think it wouldn't the wise choice. Should you become exhausted, this design becomes a detriment in the long run." Ironwood said calmly and to the point. "For me this design wouldn't be bad given my own prosthesis but for you I would urge against it." He held it up to Yang, "Would you like to try it though, just to see how it feels? In the end the decision is yours."

Yang looked at the beast of an arm, _'That is bigger than I thought it would be. Probably not gonna want this one.'_ She decided. "I'll give it a go but yeah, probably won't be using this one. It's bulkier than I hoped for."

Ironwood nodded standing in front of Yang to ease the arm into place, "The prosthesis will be the same in terms of attachment for either choice. Right now this will be slotted in but the actual arm will have a base surgically attached, this will be ease of possible upgrades or modifications in the future. Though I would suggest staying with one choice once you've decided. Many people have tried an interchangeable style but it is difficult to compensate for the differences in weight or size after someone has become used to a certain style." Ironwood wrapped a strap around Yang's chest and shoulder to keep the model in place. "This one has been weighted similarly to the finished weight, how does it feel?"

Yang felt the difference immediately. Already feeling her core muscles working to rebalance herself on the bed, "It's definitely heavy." She agreed, "This would take a lot of work to get use to." She shook her head, "This isn't going to work." She said dejectedly.

Yang's father came over, placing his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry Yang, James will find something that works. You and him already worked on a couple ideas right?"

Yang nodded. "Yeah, let's see the other one. I really don't want to go back to the drawing board."

"Well Yang, I think this one we'll work out better for you overall anyways. I took some time to go over some old combat footage of you to see if I could glean something." He opened the second box and presented the arm, "And I came up with this."

The model, aside from being a far more normal size for her build, was nearly identical to the 'Knight's Gauntlet.' The overall look gave a more feminine feel as well, so not to attract attention to the differences an arm like it would surely have.

"This one has been dubbed 'Mantis.' The final product should weigh only around five pounds, closer to four so it should cause little to no strain on you in your everyday activities. It will still have an excellent effect in combat being that it's still combat grade. The lighter material makes it more fragile though, but all prosthesis have aura capable metals so you'll need to practice projecting your aura around the prosthesis to protect it as well."

"You mean like how some weapons trigger? Like Yang's Ember Celica, just at a constant rate?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, that would be a good way to think about it. Just like how Yang would unlock Ember Celica from its dormant bracelet form, Yang would stretch out her aura, for a lack of better words, to the prosthesis. Doing this long enough she subconsciously recognize it as a part of her. It's a bit challenging to do at first. At least for me," James admitted.

"That doesn't sound hard." Yang said, "If it's like my gauntlets then this should be easy."

Taiyang cut in then, "It's not quite that simple Yang, James was explaining it to me on the way here." He looked to the man to continue.

"That's right," he agreed, "It's true that you've been using the concept for years now but now that you have been injured it just won't be that simple. Think of like this: Since before you arrived image that you have been typing on a keyboard through the entirety of your studies, you've have become a natural. Now though, imagine that the keyboard has been split in half and both halves have been moved to opposite sides of the desk. All of the muscle memory that has been ingrained in you for years doesn't match up with the scenario anymore, but you still need to accomplish the same task. It's the exact same task but now you must position yourself differently. Any sort of style or quirk you may developed can't correlate with the new setup, how you unconsciously go about the act of typing now cause you to stumble, make mistakes that you wouldn't have beforehand. Does that make sense?" Ironwood asked.

Yang just sat in her spot at first, a contemplative look etched on her face. She was interrupted from her thoughts by the concerned call of her name. "What?" She asked, her eyes glossed over a bit as she looked to Blake, the one who called her name.

"I asked if you were alright." Blake said again.

Yang nodded, keeping her thoughts to herself. "How bout I try that thing on. I'm thinking I like it already," her tone a little more chipper than it should have been.

Everyone quietly waited for Ironwood to strap the 'Mantis' on to Yang. She moved it around as best she could, given that it was locked and non-functioning like the previous one. "Yeah, I like the feel of this one. It's good and light, that'll help with my faster strikes."

"Should I go through how all of it works?" Ironwood asked.

"No." Yang shook her head, "I think I got it well enough for now. I just want to think about this for a bit. I choose the 'Mantis' though. When do you think I'll be fit for the surgery?" the young blonde asked.

James stared at her for a moment before answering, "I can't give you a definite answer right now Yang, I'll need to speak with your doctor before we can make the call. Though I would say very soon." Looking around the room he began to pack everything up, excluding the 'Mantis'. "Though I think it's time to leave, I have a number of other duties to attend. I'll call ahead for when you are cleared for the procedure. I'll leave the 'Mantis' with you, it will help you get a feel for it, so everything isn't quite so unfamiliar when you get the functioning version."

Yang spoke up quietly, "Um guys, do you think I could have some time alone? I just want to think things through for a while. Could you come by tomorrow?"

Taiyang replied first, "Sure thing beautiful, I'll come by to visit you soon before I need to head out again." Ruby and Weiss had similar responses to Yang's request. Everyone began to shuffle out of the room with their goodbyes, Yang noticed Blake was leaving the room also.

"Blake, where are you going?"

"I thought you wanted some time alone." She said.

Yang looked Blake in the eyes, "I want you to stay please. Can you shut the door?"

Blake came over to sit with Yang as she had been since the pair had shared a bed that first night. Sitting in silence, she waited for Yang to be ready.

"Can you help get this thing off?"

Blake quietly did as asked, unbuckling the straps that held the arm in place and gently removed it, placing it on the ground. The silence continued like that for a while, Blake didn't care. She was stilling waiting for Yang to be ready. The blonde finally hugged Blake around the waist, sniffling quietly.

"I kinda hoped that this would be easy, you know? I know that the General said it wouldn't be easy but I just hoped that they would sort of wheel me off and I would wake up with a shiny new piece of hardware and life could go on." Blake just wrapped an arm around Yang's waist, and leaned into her waiting for Yang to finish.

"But I guess it really hadn't hit me yet. That this is gonna be real hard, maybe one of the hardest things I'll ever do." The blonde place her own head atop of Blake's, crying lightly as she spoke. "I'm terrified Blake. The last time I was this scared was when I thought Ruby was going to die in the Emerald Forest. I'm scared that I won't be able to fight Blake. I'm scared I'm gonna fail, and that I won't be able to fight with you and Ruby and Weiss. That I won't be able to protect you three anymore." Yang confessed, tears coming quietly.

Blake hugged Yang tightly for a few minutes, before finally speaking her thoughts. "Yang. You are one of the most hot-headed, excitable, and expressive people I know. You are also passionate, loving, strong, and a whole number of things that I can't possibly describe." Blake shifted to look Yang in the eyes. "Do you remember, back during the tournament when you beat Mercury and everyone thought that you had attacked him?" She went on before Yang could reply, "You told everyone that, that wasn't what happened. That he had attacked you when your back was turned. I remember, that for an instant, I didn't believe you. I remember that I didn't _believe in you_. I've been tearing myself up inside since everything happened. That was the first time I had ever seen you cry, I realized then what I should've already known… You, Yang Xiao Long, are too strong, too proud, too _you_ to ever do something like that." Blake's eyes had misted over as well then.

"So I said that to myself that I would believe in you. I still believe in you, and I always will. You have a huge challenge here Yang, I won't lie to you. But you need to know that even if it seems like you can't do it… that doesn't matter. Because you have your sister, Weiss, your dad, everyone!" Blake cupped her hands on Yang's cheeks, "You have me. So even if you fall down, we are all going to be here to pick you up until you can do it. Alright?" Blake kissed the blonde's forehead.

Yang just leaned her head into Blake's collarbone, "Thanks Blake, I… I really needed to hear you say that."

"I know… and I will keep saying it until I'm blue in the face. So get used to it."

_~~YBYB~~_

Almost two weeks had gone by since Yang was introduced to the 'Mantis.' Yang was looking up at an observation window where she saw team JNPR, her dad, and the rest of team RWBY. She looked at Blake and smiled, giving the group a thumbs up, thinking of a conversation that she had with Ironwood a few days ago while they had been alone.

_"Alright Yang, everything is ready. Your surgery has been prepped and will happen in two days. Was there any last minutes thoughts about this?" James Ironwood asked._

_Yang thought about it for a moment, thinking of Blake's heartfelt words after her first encounter with the 'Mantis' prefab. "Yeah, there is two things actually…"_

The surgeon looked at Yang, "You'll be out for a while Ms. Xiao Long, You'll be back in your room when you wake up." He nodded to a nurse, the nurse removed the clamp on the anesthetics. Yang could feel it almost instantly. As Yang's consciousness faded to black she remembered the most important part of that conversation with Ironwood.

_"… I want it to be black, and I want this engraved on the forearm." Passing a paper to Ironwood. He smiled._

_"Very well."_

_It was an image of Blake's symbol._

 

_CS._


	6. Chapter 6

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Six** _

The first thing that came to mind was the throbbing pain in her right arm. Next was the fact that she was quite drowsy, _'Must be the drugs,'_ She thought. Yang tried opening her eyes only to shut them again, the light of the room feeling absolutely blinding. Squinting her eyes she eventually became used to the light in the room. She tried to move but a lance of pain in her right arm stopped that train of thought.

"Ah! Dammit!" Yang grunted in pain.

"Easy there Yang. Don't move just yet, the drugs must've worn off." Spoke the now familiar voice of James Ironwood.

Yang looked over the sound to see the General walking over to her at a sedate pace. He moved to handle a switch and pressed the button, "Alright that should kick in for you in a couple of minutes." He went to retrieve his chair to sit beside the blonde's bed. "How are you feeling Yang?" he questioned gently.

"A little dizzy. My throat's a little dry, hurts to swallow." James grabbed her a cup of water, she thanked him grabbing it with her left hand. "I'm sore too, my right arm hurts the most though."

"That doesn't surprise me," nodding to himself, "Before you ask, you have been kept asleep for two days. It was so you could heal uninterrupted. I also have an inhibitor on your prosthesis," Pointing to a small protrusion near where metal met flesh, "That's why it's not working if you were concerned. That was for your safety, we wouldn't want you tearing up the recent work the doctors have done." He said lightly, though his tone was serious.

Yang took a good look at the new appendage then. Even with the knowledge that it would be there when she woke, she was still surprised with what she saw. There placed over her stump was the 'Mantis.' Shaded a deep shadow black with a matte finish, and upon it was Blake's emblem, engraved on the forearm. The base of the emblem directed towards her new hand, the engraving was coated an off white shade reminiscent of a pearl. Yang smiled widely at the sight.

"Well? What do you think?" Ironwood asked.

Smile turning into a grin, Yang looked at Ironwood, "I think that this will blow Blake away. It's perfect." Yang then frowned looking at her new arm again, "Well, except that I can't move the damn thing. That's kinda bothering me." She grumbled.

"I'm sorry Yang but that is a necessary precaution. The operation was only two days ago, you will kept on some pain meds and your arm will be in a sling until it's healed enough." He spoke with a tone of finality.

"Alright," She acceded, lightly tracing the emblem engraved on her new forearm, "Where is everyone?" she questioned.

Ironwood smirked, "Well, your sister and Blake have been going up the walls waiting for you to wake up. The rest of your friends and family have been keeping them occupied, I said I would let them know when you were waking up."

Yang looked back at the general, "Will you tell them I'm awake then?"

The man's grin widened, "I did—"

The door was thrown open by a blur of red and black.

"—just before you woke up." He finished.

"Yang!" called said blondes' little sister, hurrying over with Blake in tow. "How are you Yang?" Ruby hurriedly asked.

Yang grinned and shrugged, "Meh, you know, just woke up. Doped up on pain killers and I have some badass dead weight until I'm healthy." Doing air quotes with her one working hand at 'healthy'. "How about you two?" gesturing to the pair, but focusing on Blake who had a faraway look in her eyes.

"We got to have a fight with uncle Qrow!" Ruby's eyes were shining as she said that, "Me, Weiss, and Blake got to have a team battle with him. It was awesome!" She scratched the back of her head, closing her eyes, "We lost though, and uncle Qrow is really good, what did you... think... Blake?" finally noticing that Blake was just staring. Ruby followed her gaze down to Yang's arm, "Oh, wow." Ruby said quietly.

Blake had a wide eyed stare looking at Yang's arm, she slowly approached the blonde reaching out for the new arm. Blake ran her hand along the surface from the fingertips, then tracing the engraved emblem herself, "Yang..." words escaped the young Faunus.

"I wanted to show you how much I appreciated everything you've done for me Blake." Yang placed her hand atop Blake's which was still touching the blondes' new arm, "With everything that's happened, I wanted to do something special. Something that I could show."

"Oh, Yang. This is... I don't know what to say. I don't even know if I deserve this." Blake said looking into Yang's eyes. "Thank you. This," placing her other hand over Yang's arm, "is beyond incredible. Thank you. I will cherish this, cherish you." Blake looked back at the raven-black appendage again, "Why haven't you well... moved it?" Blake asked sheepishly.

Yang began to pout then, "Jim here says that I can't use it until I heal up a bit more from the surgery. So he basically shut it off and told me I had to use a sling for now." Giving the General a mock angry face.

Before Ironwood could reply, the rest of Yang's friends and family arrived. Taiyang, Qrow, Nora, and Ren walked in, giving there greetings in their own ways.

Yang grinned at the sight, "Hey guys! Where are Pyrrha and Jaune?"

"They said they didn't want to crowd the room too much, so they decided to come by when we were finished." Ren told her.

"Come on Ren! You know that Pyrrha just wanted some alone time with Jaune. It wasn't that hard to see." Nora cut in.

Ren sighed, "Just because that's true Nora, doesn't mean we _have_ to broadcast it either." He gently explained.

"So what, everyone and their dog knows that Pyrrha is head over heels for him!"

That continued in the background as Yang turned to the rest of her guests, "Hey dad, uncle Qrow."

"Hello Little Dragon, how are you feeling?" her dad asked beaming at her.

She shrugged with a small smile, "Sore. But I'm doing good. Really good I think. I'll be even better when I can start working with the new hardware." Gesturing to her midnight black appendage.

Qrow whistled taking a glance at it, "Well, look that, looks top of the line if I do say so myself." Pulling out his signature flask, taking a long pull, "That said, I did look it over the designs before James here even brought it to you." He grinned as he said this. "Nothing but the best for my little Firecracker. Though the colour and engraving is new." He admitted.

Yang took Blake's hand, still by her side, "That was my own personal touch." She spoke proudly. Blake blushed noticing the attention she was getting from the contact.

"Not bad Firecracker. Not bad at all." The greying scythe wielder said.

The air of the room was quite happy in spite of the circumstances which put the blonde there. Everyone was smiling and chatting amicably, team RWBY interacting mostly with Ren and Nora while Tai and Qrow conversed with Ironwood. Ren and Nora soon left leaving her with well wishes and letting her know that Pyrrha and Jaune would be by in the afternoon. Yang was secretly coming up with ways to embarrass the pair, knowing that with her not-so-subtle push, Pyrrha had _finally_ got Jaune to see her as more than just a partner.

Shortly after Ren and Nora left, Qrow made scarce saying that he had some leads that needed to be attended. With the three people gone, Ironwood finished his quiet conversation with Taiyang, focusing on the young women in the room. "Alright, now that things are a little less hectic I wanted to go over a few things before I left. Firstly, everything went as well as it could have with the surgery, no infections; complications or otherwise. Second, I won't have the time I would like to personally help with your rehab for the foreseeable future." Before he could be interrupted he continued, "Which is why I would like to have Ms. Belladonna to shadow me for a while, so when I do have time, I can teach her the rehab process." Looking at Blake directly went on, "It isn't ideal, but it honestly shouldn't take long for you to pick up the knowledge, you are a talented huntress-in-training."

Blake looked to Yang, "Are you alright if I do that? I won't be here as often until we can start."

Yang gave her a light grin, "As much as I would love to keep you all to myself, I can't have you around all the time, and I shouldn't become too reliant on you." Grinning mischievously, she lunged at Blake for a side hug, "So I think I can be patient for a little bit so I can keep you all to myself later!" Blake blushed brightly while Weiss and Ruby giggled with a rosy dusting on their cheeks.

Laughing at the situation, Taiyang cut in, "Alright, alright, don't embarrass the poor girl. And you," pointing at his blonde daughter, "You need to be careful for a bit. I won't have you hurting yourself while you're still in the hospital." He spoke with exasperation.

"Okay, okay." She concedes.

"Well, Ms. Belladonna," Ironwood asks, "Is this acceptable?"

"It is." Blake nods, "And call me Blake." She looked at Yang, "Well, we're going to have a lot of work to do soon."

"You kidding me? Once I'm healed, I'll have this down in no time flat!" she declared

_~~YBYB~~_

"You have got to be kidding me!" the blonde bellowed.

Blake had lost count of how many times Yang had destroyed the pencils attempting to write down her own name. Ironwood, true to form had shown Blake some of the exercises that Yang would need to do to function in society with her new arm. All of them revolved around limiting herself. Yang's new arm gave her an undeniable amount of power. The drawback being that if she wanted to keep her right-handedness, she would need to learn to control all the power contained in the appendage. As Ironwood told the pair before he left with Blake in tow, _"It wouldn't be a good thing to accidentally crush someone's hand with a simple handshake now would it?"_

So a week after the operation, Yang was released from the hospital, cleared to begin simple stretches and actions to acclimate to her new condition. Blake had been half reading a book, sitting beside her girlfriend. _'Girlfriend? Yes, I like how that sounds.'_ Sitting in the living room of the decent sized apartment that Weiss had procured for their team, keeping an eye on the blondes' progress. So far things had been going alright. Yang had only started a week ago but her lack of significant success seemed to be driving her mad.

"Yang, it's okay." Blake said, putting down her book, "It's only been a week since we started, you're already on to using small objects. I know it doesn't look like much but you are doing amazing." Blake placated.

She watched as the blonde grumbled, "I know." She admitted, releasing some of her frustration in a huge breath. "I just don't like doing calligraphy assignments. I feel like I'm in the second grade again, it makes me feel... helpless. Like look at this," holding up the page she was working on that she had been working on with her mechanical hand, the scribbles that were there were hardly legible. And what was had pencil lead practically smashed all across it. "It looks like I _am_ in the second grade." Clearly displeased with her showing.

Blake was quiet, she gave Yang a look that she hoped showed all the understanding and love that she could convey with it as she gently grasped the paper pulling from Yang's unnaturally strong grip, then taking hold of said hand, enclosing it with both of hers. "I know that you are struggling with this. I've been here everyday of it, guiding you, taking you through it all. Ironwood wouldn't have said it would be a challenge if it wasn't. But you are doing so good Yang. If I could do anything else to make this easier for you I would. But I don't think there is."

Yang got an apprehensive look across her face, lightly nibbling on her lower lip. It was a bit of a surprise to Blake. Yang tried her best to avoid showing anything but confidence, but in the recent weeks, Yang had begun to express more of these emotions. Frankly in her opinion though, Yang looked adorable. She would never say that to her face though.

"Well, there is something that _might_ help." Yang offered.

"You know I want to help you Yang. Tell me." The Faunus urged.

"It's just... I know we haven't really been _together_ for long, and I've been a huge flirt but, we haven't kissed since before the surgery."

Blake's ears were on a swivel for a moment, "Oh." Blake realized that was true. Sure they had had the occasional peck on the forehead or the cheek, but they hadn't actually kissed in a while. _'I guess I was the one to initiate the first kiss we had wasn't I?'_

"Have you been waiting for me?" Blake asked.

"Well, yeah." Yang shrugged, "I didn't want to be pushy about it I guess. But I guess I... really miss it." She pulled her onyx arm from Blake's hold. "I didn't mean to—"

Blake cut her off by bridging the small distance between them, leaning in to capture Yang's lips in a gentle embrace. Blake placed her hands on Yang's shoulders, _'She's tense. How did I not notice?'_ Blake began rubbing her hands deep into Yang's shoulders, trying to loosen the tight cords of muscle. She smiled into the kiss feeling Yang relax almost instantly.

Moving her hands to the blonde's face, Blake pulled back to look in her eyes. "I think that you need to take a break Yang. Just relax and sit with me... and maybe do a little more. We can come back to this soon."

Yang wasn't even looking, eyes closed she nodded dumbly, letting Blake gather her up to lay themselves out on the couch. Blake kept her arms around Yang's neck as the blonde placed hers around Blake's waist. The Faunus could feel how careful she was being with her right arm, doming everything to make sure she didn't hurt her. It was sweet.

They wouldn't get up until Weiss walked in, catching them in a heated embrace an hour later.

"Pyrrha and Jaune will be coming over to visit soon." Weiss spoke with a red face, robotically turning to vacate the room.

_~~YBYB~~_

"Hello you two!" Pyrrha said energetically, walking over to give Yang and Blake a hug. Yang had noticed how much more physical the Spartan had become with her since their heart-to-heart a few weeks prior. If it was possible the redhead was smiling even more now that she had Jaune wrapped around her finger. Though Yang could hardly say he was complaining, he had one of the most beautiful and powerful warriors of their age group as his girlfriend. Pyrrha herself had someone who cared about her for her, not the reputation of the 'Invincible Girl.'

"Hey guys, how's the... uh," Jaune waived his hands around, "Training going?"

"Well we were just going to get back to it soon. Did you want to stick around?" Yang asked.

"Only if we aren't intruding on you. We just haven't seen you lately and wanted to visit before we get called back for some more missions." Pyrrha said.

"Yeah, what she said." Her boyfriend agreed.

Yang groaned, "Well, no time like the present." Picking one of the pencils strewn across the table.

Jaune tilted his head, "Do we want to know?"

Blake placed her hand on Yang's shoulder, "It doesn't matter. It's just Yangs' next exercise."

Pyrrha looked between the pencil and paper, "Oh, I see. That is an excellent idea."

Yang started on her writing, going slowly forming the letters on the page. The intensity with which she was focusing was almost laughable, but everyone kept silent for now.

_Snap!_

"Dammit!" she cursed. Blake winced a little at the sound. Pyrrha and Jaune looked mildly concerned with the blondes' outburst but said nothing. Yang ran the fingers of her left hand through her blonde tresses, taking deep breaths to abate her frustrations it seemed.

"Come on Yang, it's fine. Let's try again." Blake placed a pencil in Yang's hand, getting a good feel of it. She wanted yang to see that she didn't view her arm as something else, but a part of her, something that she shouldn't be worrying over. Gently moving her hands over the surface.

_'Gently...'_

Blake leaned over to Yang closing in on the blonde's ear, an idea in mind. "Yang, you are trying too hard. You need to be gentle... like you were when you held me earlier, do you remember?" Blake whispered breathily in the brawlers' ear.

Blake could see out the corner of her eye that Yang had a dusting of pink to her cheeks, nodding in response. Blake smiled. "Well just imagine then that this pencil is me. That you need to hold me tenderly. Think about how you held me... how you kissed me." The whispers continued, "Can you do that for me?"

Yang gulped audibly, nodding again, "Yeah, I can do that." She replied hoarsely.

"Good." The Faunus said in a quiet, breathless tone. Leaning back into her spot she glanced around the room. Then remembered that they had an audience.

Jaune and Pyrrha had blushes that nearly matched the latter's hair, though Pyrrha seemed to be grinning behind the hand she had placed in front of her face. Jaune just had this clueless look adorning his face.

Blake looked away coughing for a moment before again urging Yang to start while ignoring all the eyes in the room. Yang leant forward, writing utensil in hand to tackle her most recent foe. Blake saw as she just held pencil to paper, eyes closed now taking calming breaths. No one made a noise, letting the girl mentally prepare herself.

Watching as the blonde opened her eyes, she slowly start on the page. Blake could immediately see a difference in motions. Where before as Yang moved across the paper, she would imperceptibly grasp the pencil ever so slightly more, probably unaware that she had done so. Now though, Yang didn't bear a look of focus, but of calm. It wasn't pretty but Yang slowly, quite slowly, managed to write out 'Yang Xia' before the pencil slipped from her grip.

Yang smiled even as her implement rolled off the table, staring at the poor but legible letters on the paper. The other three smiled along with her seeing her reaction to the attempt.

"Marvellous Yang, marvellous."

"Wow, that's an improvement."

Blake scooted over and gave Yang a side hug, "See? What did I tell you?" Kissing the blonde on the cheek.

"What can I say?" Yang said grinning, returning the hug. "I'm a Catastrophe without you, Blake."

Blake decided to laugh, wrapping Yang fully, "You idiot. Come on you lug head, let's see if you can get the whole name down this time." Letting go of the blonde to reach for the pencil once again.

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang stood in front of one Atlas Academy's many combat training rooms. Looking down at her hands, one creamy white, and the other onyx black. Her Ember Celica fitted to her wrists, the contrast on both hands quite the sight. She wore her old battle garb, combat boots, her leather vest with the puffed out shoulders, the right sleeve just reaching past her prosthetic. Her emblem worn proudly on her belt banner. Clenching her fists looking back to the doors of the building, a set look on her face.

"Everything okay?" her ever present companion asked.

Yang looked to Blake, seeing her in her white long sleeved jacket and black pants, Gambol Shroud held to her back on the magnetic plate worn there.

"Just wondering how this is going to go." The blonde said, excitement and trepidation in her voice. "It's been what, four months now?"

Blake nodded, "Close to it. I know you've been wanting to get back into it for a while now. The doctors and Ironwood cleared you for sparring but they still don't want you to stress yourself, it could put you back months." Blake warned.

The pair walked into the building, "I know. I just really want to do something! I'm starting to go stir-crazy." The pair moved into one of the moderate sized areas they had been asked to go to. "I really want to get back out there and do some damage." She admitted.

"Well," a gravelly voice spoke, "You'll get your chance soon enough. Just have to get me and Metalhead here to agree." Cut in the voice of her uncle.

Across from the blonde and brunette stood Yang's uncle, Qrow, flask in hand taking a pull. His scythe in sword form embedded in the floor. General Ironwood stood to his left, hands clasped behind his back, standing at ease.

"Well Yang, Blake. It's time to see how much you need to go over before you're ready for combat."

"Please! While I've been waiting I've been getting a handle on getting my aura to work through this," Yang said, waiving her right arm in the air. "This is gonna be a piece of cake." Speaking with all the confidence in the world.

"Oh yeah!" hollered the red speedster, Ruby, running into the room with Weiss in tow. "Team RWBY is back together, this is a whole new ball game uncle Qrow!"

"Ruby, settle down! These are two of the strongest Huntsmen we've ever seen." Weiss admonished.

"I know, it's so awesome!"

Both Qrow and James smiled at that, "We'll see." Was all the general said.

"Remember Firecracker, we're just sparring. I don't want you going all-out here, we just want to see that you are on the right track. No sense in throwing yourself back in the hospital. Doctors were getting all flustered over the flask. I'd rather not go through that again so soon."

"Don't worry," Yang told the two Huntsmen, "Team RWBY has got this." Emphasizing her statement by knocking her fists together.

The blonde looked over to the viewing stands where student would usually preside, seeing the rest of her friends from team JNPR, Coco and Velvet were there as well surprisingly, watching and cheering them on. Pyrrha stood up with her Scroll in hand, "Alright, everyone, standard tournament rules for this match, four on two match up. Fighters ready?"

Qrow placed his flask back and lifted his hair, Ironwood moved his hands to a more ready stance. Yang and Blake opened and held their weapons up, determined looks in all six of the combatant's eyes.

"Ready. Set. Begin!"

 

_CS._


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little tough, so be prepared. And let me know what you think.

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Seven** _

_The blonde looked over to the viewing stands where student would usually preside, seeing the rest of her friends from team JNPR, Coco and Velvet were there as well surprisingly, watching and cheering them on. Pyrrha stood up with her Scroll in hand, "Alright, everyone, standard tournament rules for this match, four on two match up. Fighters ready?"_

_Qrow placed his flask back and lifted his hair, Ironwood moved his hands to a more ready stance. Yang and Blake opened and held their weapons up, determined looks in all six of the combatant's eyes._

_"Ready. Set. Begin!"_

There was an immediate reaction to the signal, Yang was acutely aware as everyone began to move. Ruby unslung Crescent Rose taking a knee as it unfolded to its rifle mode, she shouldered her weapon sighting in on General Ironwood. Weiss flanked to the right, taking a curved approach to Rubys' target, ensuring that she was removed from the redheads' line of fire. As the heiress moved acceleration Glyphs appeared beneath her feet and one in from of the barrel of Crescent Rose.

 _'Those two aren't holding any punches in_ this,' Yang thought as she and Blake honed in on the greying scythe wielder.

Blake, the fastest of the pair, pulled ahead of Yang to make first contact. The blonde watched as her uncle smirked at them. With the crack of weapons fire Gambol Shroud was thrown at Qrow, just before the blade would've made contact his blade was no longer planted in the ground. Arm extended with blade in hand, Qrow deflected Blake's weapon. Unperturbed, she launched her weapon back into her own grasp, moving to engage Qrow in close quarters.

Yang moved to the left, trying to pincer her uncle between herself and Blake. She watched as Blake leaped from one of her shadows, getting inside Qrows' guard when he tried to force the Faunus to back pedal.

It didn't help her.

As the blonde closed in she saw Qrow grab Blake by the forearm and fling her across the room when she attempted a strike. Yang used this moment to close in and deliver a devastating punch to the man's side. Except he moved with an inhuman speed and blocked the blow with flat of his blade. Yang reared back her onyx black fist next. Her uncle leapt back as the fist made contact with blade, throwing him a good distance. Blake landed at her side as she got her bearings. Glancing past Qrow, the blonde looked to see how her sister and Weiss were faring against their opponent.

_~~YBYB~~_

Ruby and Weiss were not faring well.

At the beginning their impromptu strategy was sound. When Ruby knelt to take a firing stance she saw that Weiss had understood to close in. Lining up her shot she grinned as she'd seen the acceleration Glyph manifest to augment the speed in which her rounds would fly. Ruby's plan was to keep Ironwood off balance for the first few seconds so that Weiss could close in with a more hindering strike, then she would move in to monopolize on his immobile state. It was good plan.

Things didn't go according to plan.

Seeing the redhead line up on him, Ironwood had simply moved so his cybernetic side acted as a shield. He then drew his massive revolver to fire on Weiss as she closed in. Now Weiss was trying to dodge the cyborgs insanely accurate weapons fire while trying to close in. Ruby used Ironwoods focus on Weiss to move in with her Semblance, hoping to take the heat off of her partner. Rifle unfolding as she ran, her scythe came into being. Firing off a shot for that extra boost she close the gap in an incredible time, scythe primed for a brutal strike.

Ruby grinned as her weapon made contact but that expression fell as she saw that the General had managed to grab Crescent Rose by its haft, close to the blade.

"An excellent strike but from that distance and angle it becomes horribly telegraphed." The man explained clinically. His eyes widened as he released her weapon to avoid a massive white blue blade crashing where he had just been.

"How is that for telegraphed General?" Weiss said with some heavy breaths, Myrtenaster held at the ready.

"Whoa." The redhead said, staring from Weiss to the giant glowing warrior that seemed to come to Weiss' and her aid. "Since when could you do… _that?"_ not having the words to properly explain the act.

"Can we talk about this later?" Weiss said, sweat starting to form and breaths coming heavily. "I don't know how long I can keep this up."

Ruby glanced to the monitor keeping everyone's Aura levels visible and saw that Weiss' had begun dropping at a marginal rate. Ruby nodded, staring down Ironwood with Weiss and her Silent Knight at the ready. Ruby got a proud grin when she noticed that the Knights' strike had torn open Ironwoods jacket, making the cybernetic side of his chest visible.

"Let's do this." Weiss said determinedly, Ruby nodded and moved—

—and was immediately surprised by the speed of both Ironwood's speed and the Knights'. The two crashed together in a battle of strength, Ironwood now using his revolver as a bludgeon to defend himself in this close quarters match. An almost musical tone erupted from the Knight's blade as it struck at the General. With the Knight at her side, Ruby now had Ironwood back peddling.

Things were looking up now.

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang and Blake looked on gobsmacked by the show of power that Weiss had just unleashed. A massive construct of blue-white light alongside the red blur that was Ruby had now seemingly turned the tide on their side of the field.

Qrow took this moment to move in on the most defenceless of the four.

Weiss.

He noticed that since the Knight had begun its intricate combat, Weiss had stopped moving. Bringing him to the assumption that the construct was unable to perform autonomously… yet. The heiress had a long ways to go before she was at the level of her sister but this showing was impressive none the less. The Knight had to go, so that meant he had to take Weiss out of the fight.

Halfway to her though the Knight snapped to attention and tried to intercept him. _'So, you can work on your own if it means defending your creator.'_ Bringing up his sword, he deflected the massive blade crashing down at him. _'Damn, you're spry for your size.'_ Qrow moved in for a solid kick to the girl's side, she glanced his way, sweat now pouring down her face. The fingers of her free hand twitched upward as a Glyph barely manifested between her and his leg. He crashed against the barrier, only for it to shatter on impact. He noticed that her Aura had dropped to almost nothing with that last ditch attempt to protect herself and then dropped to zero once he made contact.

Weiss was knocked back, rolling until she hit the arena wall. Qrow turned as the Knight was halfway through a strike, only for it to dissipate like white-light fireflies just before the blade could touch him. _'Well… that could have been bad.'_

Looking over, he saw that Ruby was now fighting a retreating battle with Ironwood. Yang and Blake were now moving to intercept Ironwood, Blake keeping an eye on himself as they moved. _'Good, she didn't forget that I was here. Yang on the other hand…'_ He watched for a moment as Yang exploded forward, Ember Celica giving her more forward thrust. Right arm gleaming ominously as she went to give the Atlas Headmaster an enormous haymaker. The man raised his own metallic arm to block her, a dull tone like church bell rung for a second at contact. _'Didn't I say to take it easy?'_ He thought with exasperation.

Qrow turned to Blake, since she was the only one paying any attention to him at the moment. She would likely end up being the most troublesome of the remaining three anyways, so it suit him that she had split herself from the others. He moved at a speed that the young Faunas could track as he engaged. As she dodged using a clone as a spring board he saw her load a clip of varied Dust rounds into her weapon, a resolute look on her face.

She charged him the moment she hit the floor, practically dancing through the air. A cacophony of gunfire going along with her seemingly random movements in her attempts to strike him. At the speed he was moving he was being to take hits. Impressed that she seemed to find time to keep her skills sharp, even with her watching over his niece these last few months.

He found the pattern to her movements soon enough though. And that's when he struck.

Only to have to leap back from the fire-infused clone that erupted as the girl leapt away. Blake was doing everything to keep out of reach of Qrow's sword while peppering him with hits when she could. Shielding herself with earth-based clones, trying to lock him down with ice, and even wind, among others. He watched patiently as her Aura steadily dropped with every near miss that went her way. She finally stumbled when she went to fire, only to hear nothing but the resounding click of an empty magazine.

Qrow struck her with the flat of his blade, she landed with a cry of pain as her Aura shattered, taking the full brunt of the blow as she fell. Qrow stood over her, blade in hand only to hear a cry of primal rage from behind him.

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang struck Ironwood as he brought his arm up to defend against her titanic blow. She felt a small twinge from that strike. _'Damn, I need to be careful. Calm down, Yang.'_   Taking her boxing stance, the blonde began to rain as many blows as possible upon the man in front of her. He was clearly her better in hand-to-hand though, keeping pace with her but avoiding almost all openings in her stance—even the ones that she made to trap him.

The stalemate that the pair had come to was only because he willed it. Yang fought all the harder with that in mind, waiting for her moment. A crack of rifle fire and his fault in tempo to avoid the shot was all she needed.

Yang was a flurry of golden flame, with the onyx-black hammer of an arm raining down on Ironwood like a smith would metal on an anvil. Ironwood was able to repel most of the blows or only take glancing hits. He focused on deflecting her right arm, it being his biggest threat as it literally was a weapon in and of itself.

Ruby came in then, a downward strike with her scythe in its most obscure form, blade rotated so it sat almost like a crescent halberd instead of a scythe. Ironwood disengaged over blocking the blow. _'Wow Rubes, you haven't been slacking have you?'_ Yang thought, looking over with sibling pride.

Then Yang heard Blake cry out in pain.

Yang turned and saw a scene from her nightmares.

She was in the dining hall of Beacon, the only light coming from the fires within and outside the hall. Yang saw Blake prone, lying on her back. Above her was the red-haired Faunus, blade held at an at rest position, staring down at her partner.

Her Aura exploded as she screamed like a primal beast.

"Get away from her!" she screamed, flying through the air. The Faunus turned to her and brought his blade into a guard, somehow blocking her strike with the flat of his crimson sword. "I will _end you!"_

Yang froze as she saw her arm. "My arm… what happened to my arm!" staring down at the black appendage she stared at the palm, "What happened to my arm!?"

She felt a slight jerk and the limb dangled like an ornament. She felt a person grab her arm and the abyssal limb, bringing her to her knees. Then Blake was in front of her, a frightened look in her eyes as she grabbed the blonde's cheeks.

"Blake?" the blonde said in a trembling tone, "What's going on? Who was that man? Are you okay?" She looked around the burning hall, "We have to get out of here Blake, Beacon's burning and something's wrong with my arm."

Blake had tears in her eyes, tracks streaming down her cheeks. "Yang, listen to me. We not in Beacon. We are in Atlas. You were hurt bad, Yang, we're not there anymore. You're okay. _We're okay."_ The girl stressed as the blonde looked at those amber eyes with confusion.

"What? Blake what are you talking… about…" Yang looked around as the room changed in the blink of an eye. She was now in some sort of training room. Looking to her left and right she saw her Uncle Qrow and General Ironwood respectively held her down on her knees. Both had concerned looks.

"Uncle Qrow?" she asked, "What's going on?"

He looked at her with a little trepidation, "Hey, can you tell me where you are Firecracker?" he asked gently.

"What are you talking about? I'm at Bea—"

_"Blake! Blake where are you!"_

_Yang had been searching for Blake for a few minutes and was worried that she hadn't seen any sign of the Shadow Semblance bearer yet. Yang was confidant in the girls' abilities but she was her teammate, her partner. Yang had just dealt with some White Fang grunts, this worried Yang even more. If Blake had come through here she wouldn't have left them to their own devices, she would have dealt with them herself. Either way, Yang was getting desperate to find her partner. The blonde wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something happened to the girl…_

_Yang was thrown off course by the devastating strike, in her adrenaline high though, the brawler couldn't feel any pain from the strike itself. As she spun through the air she got a glimpse of the man, stance signifying a finished move. Then Yang saw her arm._

_Flying away from her body…_

_"Yang!" The girl practically screamed to her, sitting up and wincing as she did so._

_"Whoa, kitten, easy, don't hurt yourself—"._

_Yang was interrupted as Blake extricated herself from her bed and moved to wrap her arms around Yang's neck._

_"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm here." The Faunus sobbed, "Everything's going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere." Blake forced out through her body wracking sobs._

_"Hey, Blake calm down okay? I'm fine." Yang went to embrace the girl, she still couldn't feel her right arm as she held Blake. "My damn arm is numb though," she said offhandedly, Blake stiffened as she spoke, "Give me a second to rub it out Blake."_

_"Yang don't look!" Blake said with fear, but it was too late._

_Yang was staring at her arm in confusion, from under the sheets it looked much shorter than it should have. Yang tried to wiggle her fingers. Nothing happened. The heart monitor started to elevate with the blondes rising panic. Blake held her all the tighter._

_"I'm here Yang, I'm here. Just listen to my voice."…_

_"It won't be easy Yang, I won't lie to you. But you can—and will—get better. I need people like you, and your team, strong people who can help take back Vale. There are people who care about you Yang, and I know that you are not fine." He spoke in a solid voice, "But I promise, that your team will help you, Ms. Belladonna has more than proved that." He, added, "And I will help you as well."_

_"Why?" Tears overflowing in her eyes as he made his proclamations._

_"Because Yang, when you and the other students had the chance to run, had the chance to make yourselves safe. You all chose to fight. And what happened to you," Gesturing to the wrapped limb, "Is something that I never wished to see happen to another person…_

_"I, I don't think I can say the words I need to convey what I want, so I'll just show you, okay?" Blake looked to the blonde who sat just a few inches from her._

_Yang put on that infectious grin of hers, "I trust you Blake."_

_Blake didn't need anything else, she steadily reached for Yang's face, cupped both of her cheeks, and brought Yang to her face for a chaste but firm kiss…_

_Yang hopped into the backseat beside Blake. Getting her seatbelt with Blakes' help. "What were you two talking about?" Blake asked innocently._

_Yang smiled to herself. "Just wanted to make sure some things were set straight. Nothing big, I'll tell you later." Yang promised._

_Blake gave Yang a quick peck, "You'd better." Getting comfortable beside the blonde._

_Yang glanced at Blake, then to Weiss and Ruby in the front seats, 'I guess I meant it. Things really could have been different. None of us might've been here right now.' Cuddling up to Blake her thoughts went on, 'As bad as things are right now, things could be so much worse... I don't think I would change it for the world..._

_"This one has been dubbed 'Mantis.' The final product should weigh only around five pounds, closer to four so it should cause little to no strain on you in your everyday activities. It will still have an excellent effect in combat being that it's still combat grade…_

_I want it to be black, and I want this engraved on the forearm." Passing a paper to Ironwood. He smiled._

_"Very well."_

_It was an image of Blake's symbol…_

"No… I'm at Atlas. I, I lost my arm at Beacon before the evacuation. I don't remember much of anything before waking up at the hospital. Some stuff is a little fuzzy but it's coming back. I'm sorry." The blonde spoke quietly.

Qrow and Ironwood gently released Yang and she jumped at Blake and cried. Left arm wrapped around the girls' shoulders her right arm started to work again and join the other gently. Blake wrapped her arms around Yang's waist, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, telling that everything was okay. She was safe and that she wasn't going anywhere.

Yang just cried, apologizing repeatedly once she realized what she had done. No one spoke to the pair, everyone slowly moved away from them, giving them space. Soon, the only people in the room were Yang and Blake, both refused to move until they both finally stopped crying.

"I'm sorry Blake."

Blake just shook her head, "Don't apologize, you are still recovering. We, your uncle, Ironwood, me, we should be saying sorry. I didn't even think of this happening." Hugging the blonde al the tighter.

"Blake… am I going crazy?" The girl responded by gripping even tighter.

"No! You are not crazy! You are hurt and there is nothing wrong with that. You and me, we are going to make sure you get better… together." Blake said resolutely. "I love you, you idiot."

Yang sobbed, "I love you too."

 

CS.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Broken Huntress: Chapter Eight** _

James Ironwood sat in his office. Its layout was vastly different than that of the late Headmaster Ozpin's own office. Ironwoods office stood in a pristine white, lacking the cog works that appeared within the walls, floor—even hanging from the ceiling. The chamber was built to be even more utilitarian than the leader of the Brotherhood's had been, with the exception of the more advanced holographic projector which hung from the center of the ceiling.

He was going quietly going over some documents that had made it to his desk. It was a mix of Academy and Military business, sometimes it was nearly impossible to maintain both himself but, he wouldn't have it any other way. _'There is so much to be done Ozpin. I wish you were still with us, but I think you may have bought us the time we now need. I'm sorry I didn't trust you old friend, I won't let your death be in vain.'_

The leftmost elevator opened to reveal Qrow Branwen, flask in hand as he strode into the gleaming office with a grimace. James took a perverse glee from Qrow's personal distaste of the room. The pair had always butted heads throughout their cooperation together but that time needed to end… at least for now.

Ironwood dimmed the lights to help with Qrow's mood. The man gave him a quick nod in thanks taking a seat and large pull from his flask as he sat. "Good afternoon General." Qrow said in his near-slurred manner.

"Qrow, it's good to see you. I assume that you have some more information?" he went straight to the point. Qrow gave a nod.

"Yep, I do. I've been trying to keep tabs on all the variables that we know about but it frankly not an easy task. So I'll start with what we know the least about: _She_ seems to have pulled back for the moment as best I can tell. With the death of her chosen Maiden she has lost likely her most powerful piece."

"This is good news I hope. It could just mean she is biding her time, and with the loss of Ozpin we are now flying blind to a degree. He was privy to information that none of us were fully aware of." He shook his head sadly, "What else do we know Qrow?"

"Well, I think I may have a bead on Raven, but she's a tough one to track. If she doesn't want to be found I'm probably the only one who'll find her, especially with how everything has gone to hell."

"Agreed. But as of now, her location isn't our priority. We need to locate those who are still a threat, Cinder's accomplices and the White Fang. As long as they are still in tow with Salem, we need to mitigate what damage they may do when we attempt to retake Vale. So what do you have on this, Adam Taurus?"

Qrow gained a dark look in his eye, "Him. I'm sure that he has fallen back to Mistral to regroup. He's dangerous to be sure but…" Qrow looked Ironwood in the eye. "If I find him I'm not coming back with a prisoner, and I'm not negotiating that."

Ironwood was silent for only a moment, "I know he hurt Yang. But I need you Qrow, now more than ever with Ozpin dead. I won't stop you from doing what needs to be done, we both heard the report from Blake on his status, he'll likely continue his plans until either he dead or we are… But I need you to keep a cool head. We can't afford to lose you too."

Qrow leaned forward, looking at the floor, nodding. "Don't you worry James, I know what needs to be done. The bastard doesn't deserve it but I'll make it quick if I find him. I won't take any chances."

"Good. We'll coordinate with Mistral academy as best we can to pin him down. But we need to be quick, our plans need to be completed before we lose the CCT. We caught a break with the tower still standing in Vale but that break could end at any time."

"So how are things coming along on your end? Like you say, we may only have the CCT for who knows how long. The Grimm are probably ripping everything apart in Vale as we speak, not mention that damn monstrosity lurking over Beacon."

Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose, "As good as could be expected at this point. With the other kingdoms backing our efforts we've been able to amass nearly a dozen new dreadnoughts. If production holds out, we should have eighteen to twenty dreadnoughts for our main confrontation." He grabbed his scroll and brought up some graphs for Qrow to view, "Paladin production has gone well. We should be able to field nearly a five hundred for the battle."

"How soon are we talking James?"

"…A month. Two at most."

Qrow gave him a sharp look, "That soon? What about the students, they need training for a large scale battle like this. They'll be slaughtered!" Rising to standing over James' seated form.

The General locked his fingers together and leaned forward on the desk, "I know Qrow. That's why students who aren't in their fourth year will be staying behind."

Qrow shook his head, "Yang isn't going to be happy about this. Neither is her team and friends, Beacon is their home now."

Ironwood stood abruptly, "And I'll be damned if I watch another child be maimed in a fight that isn't there's to bear Qrow! This is our fight. When the time comes to pass on the burden we will but I won't let them die for my mistakes. It's only been a couple of weeks since her episode. She's better according to her therapists but I would rather not risk her and her friends needlessly."

Qrow's eyes widened imperceptibly, then he smirked. "Well I'll be damned, you have a heart of gold under all that steel don't you?" he chuckled, taking another swig from his flask, "I'll let the brats know what's happening myself. Now, on to something you and I have been putting off… the Fall Maiden, it's her. I had her sent for just before I got back, she should be here—"

The elevator opened to reveal Pyrrha Nikos, a solemn look about her. "General Ironwood, Mr. Branwen, you asked for me?"

"Yes, we did Miss. Nikos, have a seat please."

The girl did as asked, crossing her arms in her lap. "What is this about General?"

"Let's not dance around the issue at hand. With the death of Cinder—the one who stole the Maidens powers and killed Ozpin—the power has fallen to you. We know this."

Pyrrha stiffened at the words, going slack after a moment, "How long have you known?"

Qrow took over then, "I confirmed it when I tailed your team on a search and destroy Op. You manipulated some leaves as blades, protecting your teammate Jaune. Though we have suspected since I finished Cinder off in the Vault, you've hidden well but that won't last."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because we need you to begin honing your new powers. It's the best way to protect yourself, and to not stray from friendly eyes. Have you told anyone else about what's happened?"

"Just my team. They've sworn to secrecy until I reveal myself."

Qrow nodded, "I guess that's the best we could've hoped for. Don't tell anyone else, you and your team will begin training in secret under the guise of missions. A seasoned Huntsmen or Huntress will shadow you, we'll see how Glynda feels about the job."

"Don't I have a choice in this?" Pyrrha asked rather crossly.

Sighing, Qrow crossed his arms and leveled her with a solid stare. "Under normal circumstances yes. But as you may have noticed, we aren't under normal circumstances. Vale has fallen, Ozpin is dead, and things that we can't tell you about are happening that need to be dealt with as soon as we are able. But first, we need to be sure that you can defend yourself. Amber, your predecessor wasn't the best fighter but she had enough raw power to beat down most foes." Qrow walked over and leaned down giving Pyrrha an even harder stare. "But your hunters aren't normal foes. You've met them, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai, if they catch you alone they very well may kill you as you are now. So I'm telling you for your self-preservation and for the rest of the damn world that 'no' you unfortunately don't get a say in this. This is bigger than any one person, do you understand?"

She looked conflicted for a moment but she nodded none the less. "Yes, I understand."

"Good. Since you've already spilt the beans to your team you can fil them in once we've gotten you and your team out into the field, until then just keep things quiet." Qrow turned to Ironwood.

Ironwood sighed, I suppose you're going to make _me_ call Glynda then?"

"Well she does like you more than me." Qrow shrugged.

The man sighed, picking up his scroll, "She is just going to _love_ this."

_~~YBYB~~_

Dust rounds and the impacts of an assortment of weapons rattled off as four teens fought in pairs of two, attempting to overpower the each other.

Yang fought in a brutal melee with Weiss' Silent Knight, the construct fought without its massive blade, instead using brawler tactics. The impacts were fist to fist as they hashed out the battle. While this happened Weiss stayed still in an attempt to maintain the construct for as long as possible as Ruby defended her against the onslaught that was Blake Belladonna.

The red and black themed warriors moved at insane speeds, Ruby attempting to land a solid hit while Blake jumped between her clones nearly as quick. It was a flurry of rose petals and fading forms where neither could seem to get the upper hand turning it into a battle of attrition. Ruby was forced to keep her Semblance enhanced speeds to intercept Blake before she could reach Weiss, while Blake couldn't slow down enough to switch magazines for her Dust imbued clones to change tactics.

Both Yang and Weiss were dealing in a similar bout. While Weiss' Silent Knight was able to withstand Yang's immense strength so long as she concentrated, Yang was simply not fast enough to get around the construct to engage the heiress directly.

Ren sat quietly with the rest of his team watching the practice bout. Nora and Jaune were quite enthusiastically engaged with the fight, cheering both sides equally as the intensity of it increased. Pyrrha though was much more subdued. She claimed she was fine, that she was going over some news she'd gotten from back home. Ren caught the falsehood instantly, keeping it to himself for the moment. He knew she would eventually talk to someone about it, if not him or Nora then Jaune would be trusted with the knowledge soon enough.

He smiled at the fact the pair had finally gone forward in the tense relationship that had been so one-sided for so many months. Ren wasn't sure what brought on Pyrrha's bout of courage shortly after they had arrived in Atlas, but he was convinced it had something to do with a certain blonde brawler pulling her away for a private discussion once had been fit enough to move. His eyes tracked Yang's movements intensely as he thought about the last fight he'd seen her in.

He, along with his team had been present for Yang's first time back in action those few short weeks ago and had watched with concern as she was subjected to some sort of horrible flashback that she hadn't yet been ready for. Not wanting to pry, he hadn't asked for any details aside from her progressing condition. The rest of his team had taken a similar stance on the matter and gave her the space she—more likely than not—had needed with her new lover, Blake.

Now, close to three weeks later with some soul searching and counselling, Yang was back with what seemed to be a renewed fire in her eyes. Though he as he watched he could see that her temperament was… not off; but different. The young man couldn't place what that change seemed to be but it seemed that whatever it was had been of some benefit.

"Wow! They are doing awesome dontcha think Ren?"

Ren glanced to his exuberant partner, "They are performing quite well." He agreed.

"Yeah, they are pretty amazing sometimes," Jaune added, "What do you think Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha seemed jolted from her thoughts, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"What do you think of team RWBY's fight?" Jaune clarified.

"Oh, well they are quite a formidable group." She said in an almost off handed manner. Her mood picks up a bit as she speaks, "It's good to see that after everything they can still do as well as they are."

Jaune seems to notice that she isn't quite 'all there' at the moment. "Hey, Pyrrha are you okay?" he grasps her right hand with his own and puts his left around her shoulder.

She leaned into the embrace instantly, closing her eyes. "I'm alright Jaune. I just, have some things on my mind that I'm not quite ready to talk about yet."

Jaune glanced around, seemingly to be sure that it was only JNPR near them, "Is this about your… new abilities?" He asked quietly.

"I… can't really speak about it yet but I promise I will, soon. Is that okay?" she asked, looking into Jaune's eyes.

He smiled and gave her a peck on the lips, making the redhead blush, "We're here when you're ready Pyrrha." Tightening his hold as he spoke.

"Thank you." She said, almost too quiet for Ren to catch.

A yelp of surprise brought Ren back to the fight. Looking down it seems that Ruby finally stumbled, unable to keep up her dance of blades with Blake as said girl disarmed the scythe-wielder. As Ruby fell Weiss in turn seemed to stumble as she went to her partner's defense, losing focus on her Construct making it stumble. Ren was able to make out the smirk that appeared on the blondes' face as she threw an insane number of strikes at the—now back peddling—Knight Construct.

With a roar of triumph, Yang leapt into the air, hitting the Knight at center mass. It lost its footing, falling back to the ground in an explosion of white light.

Ren watched on as Weiss managed to push Blake back with her Glyphs, it seems that the four have decided to catch their breath, staring each other down. Ruby slowly picked up Crescent Rose and came to Weiss' side they conversed quietly. Blake and Yang doing the same. The girls got in to ready stances, all of them on their last leg with the Aura Meter listing them all under half, with Weiss and Ruby bordering the red.

Then the tournament lighting switched, ending the match.

"What?" Ruby questioned looking around.

"Sorry kiddo, but the match over." Said Qrow, walking into the middle of the arena.

"Aww, come on. Things were getting good!" Yang cut in.

"Well, I guess you all did alright… for a bunch of brats." He grinned taking a pull of his ever-present flask. Weiss giving him a look of mild distaste. "But, truth is you all have been doing well. But I needed to have some words with you all; that means you up there too." Glancing at Ren and his team. "Come on, let's go somewhere quiet."

_~~YBYB~~_

"What the hell do you mean we aren't going back to Beacon!?" Yang raged, eyes going red and all but glowing as her anger was shown. And as Qrow looked around the room, he could see that she was just the most vocal of the bunch.

Qrow sighed, "That's exactly what I mean. You and all of the students not in their fourth year will be staying behind. I didn't make the call but I'm not disagreeing with kid."

"Did my father have something to do with this?" Weiss asked.

"Nope. This came down from Jimmy and his people."

Yang's eyes were still red but tears of frustration appeared in those crimson pools which reminded him so much of his wayward sister. "But, but he said that he wanted us to fight. To fight our home—our _home_ uncle!"

"Look, you want the truth? This is our fault. Everything that's happened since the Vytal Festival is our fault. You all suffered because of my generations mistakes. And the General blames himself for it." He shrugged, "That being said, he has decided that you and all the kids who are dealing with this aren't suffering to clean up what he thinks is his fault."

The room was quiet after the admission. _'That's all I can really give them. They can't know about our Enemy… not yet.'_

"I don't like it but… I understand what h 's trying to do I think." Blake said, all eyes turning to her.

Yang looked to her girlfriend, "But Blake—"

The girl cut her off with a finger to her lips, "Please Yang. I know how much you want to help but there are other ways we can help." Blake looked back at Qrow, "Am I right?"

Qrow nodded, "He wants you and all the other teams to protect the borders with the Huntsmen who will be left behind. Not many of them will so you all being here is good."

"But, why?" Ruby asked.

"Because," Ren spoke up, "Those who caused this are still out there. They have planned for who knows how long. I don't know why they would do what they did but what's to stop them from doing it again? When a kingdom has all but left itself defenseless so save another?"

"Oh." Was the young redheads' response.

Qrow didn't let it show on his face, but he was thankful that it was brought up from someone within their group. "You see Yang? I'm not trying to sugarcoat this for you but staying behind is just as important as going."

Yang sat there quietly. Arms crossed before she closed her eyes and took some deep breaths, and then grabbed one of Blake's hands. "Dammit…" she looked at the ground resignedly.

"It sucks Yang. But you all still have important work to do." Qrow glanced for a brief moment at Pyrrha, who nodded imperceptibly.

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang looked out at Atlas, trying to catch all the muted colors covered by the light snow cover. Leaning on the railing of the apartment which now held all of team RWBY. Ruby and Weiss wanted to get back together now that she was more or less better. She held her mechanical hand up and looked at it, really looked. It was almost eerie how life-like it appeared yet so alien. The movements as she commanded it were so fluid. She had honestly expected some chunkiness to it but was pleasantly surprised by its functionality once she had acquired the dexterity to use it.

She smiled lightly as she brought her other hand up to feel it. And was still giddy that she could actually feel something. It was a function that James Ironwood had held back on at first. It was something of a secret that wasn't standard in prosthetics and he had wanted her to master its use without the feeling. Kind of like a hidden reward.

She had jumped up and hugged him that day when he revealed the function. She smiled thinking of how he awkwardly patted her back until she let him go. It wasn't full feeling though. It was muted, like when someone puts on ear mufflers and they can only hear sounds to a degree, so could Yang only feel some things.

Yang traced the pattern of Blake's symbol that she'd had engraved in the arm thoughtfully. She couldn't stop holding Blake's hand with her prosthetic that day, and Blake couldn't stop the tears of joy she had felt.

"What are you thinking about?"

Yang smiled, "Of how you couldn't stop bawling when Jim surprised us with this." She waived her onyx-black hand at Blake, urging her over, she obliged easily.

"I was not _bawling_ Yang." Yang's chest felt warm as the Faunus snuggled into her side. "I was… a little, emotional. Can you honestly blame me?"

Looking at her girlfriend she smiled, "Nope." Popping the 'p' with a peck to Blake's cheek.

"You're terrible."

"Whatever, you love me."

Blake hummed thoughtfully, "I suppose I do."

The pair went in to a companionable silence. Looking out at the main city of Atlas. As Yang looked around she could make out the outline of Atlas Academy in the distance, different except for the CCT at its center.

"Yang?" Blake asked.

Yang hummed back that she'd heard her.

"Are you really okay with how things went today?" she asked tentatively.

Yang didn't respond right away, thinking of what to say, "I don't know." She finally said. "I'm mad about it but I get why they want to do it. And then I get mad again and…" Yang let out a forced breath. "It's just complicated you know?"

"Yeah. I think I get that. But we have to do our job Yang. It's not like we can just hitch a ride to Vale when they go."

"Well—"

"No."

"You didn—"

"I don't need to hear it to know, and it's not happening!" Yang saw Blake give her a look… and she flushed a bit at the feelings it drew up.

"You are really sexy when you're angry."

It was Blake's turn to flush in embarrassment, she looked away but didn't leave the embrace. "Shut up."

"You know, this view… it's pretty romantic wouldn't you say?"

"Yang…"

Yang ignored her and leaned in, kissing at the crook of Blake's neck lightly. She could feel Blake shiver… and it wasn't from the cold. "I meant what I said before. About you being beautiful." She ghosted more kisses up Blake's neck, across her cheek. She turned Blake to face her fully and began placing kisses al over her face, her eyes. Blake finally just came at Yang and kissed her hard and full on the lips, groaning quietly as she did. This went on for a couple of minutes, gasping for breath, Blake pulled back.

"Yang…"

"Yeah?" Yang asked breathlessly.

"I'm ready."

"Ready for what?"

Blake sighed and grabbed her hands, "Yang, I'm _ready_." Pulling Yang back towards the apartment as emphasis.

"Oh… Oh!" Yang finally got it. "Blake… are you sure?"

Blake looked into Yang's eyes, "Yes."

Yang followed Blake as she led them to her room, the door closing quietly behind them…

_~~YBYB~~_

The man's Scroll went off, listing some information that made him grin. "So… Two months? They're moving faster than she thought they would. Not that I'm complaining, I can get out of this damn cold that much faster."

"Shut up, you're not the only one here you know."

"Come on Em, don't be that way, it's not like _you_ have metal legs."

She just huffed, keeping the rest of her thoughts to herself.

The third individual in the room ignored the pair. He stood and left. _'I told you Blake. I would destroy everything you love… and I'm going to finish what I started.'_


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, two chapters today, so head on back to chapter eight if you just missed it.

**_The Broken Huntress: Chapter Nine_ **

Yang groaned softly as the light of a new day came in through the window. Instead of opening her eyes she burrowed her face into the soft tresses of the woman she was sharing a bed with. She smiled as she gently explored the flesh laid bare under the covers. She enjoyed the feeling of hers and Blake's bodies together like they were. And the gentle throb between her legs was just as satisfying.

She peaked open one of her eyes and gazed at the face of her lover, she had what could only be described as an exhausted and content grin as she slept. Yang felt pride in so many degrees that she had helped put that grin there.

Nudging the hair away from Blake's neck with her nose she began lightly nipping at the—now lightly marked—skin along Blake's shoulder. Her legs and arms continued to embrace Blake completely, leaving no way for her to escape even had she wanted to.

The light teasing was kept up until Blake sighed lightly, "Good morning Yang." Blake's voice sent shivers down Yang's spine with how sultry and rough it sounded, likely from the pair doing their best to stay quiet through the night. No one had barged in so Yang assumed they had done well enough.

"Mornin' my beautiful Kitten." Yang's voice was just as rough from the early morning and the late night activities they had shared. She continued to kiss along Blake's jaw, "Did you sleep okay?"

Blake just mumbled her assent, then she decided to try and hide from the light in Yang's collar. "What time is it" She whined.

"No clue. But I don't mind staying in bed for a while longer." Yang said with a suggestive tone.

Blake looked up into Yang's eyes with her own lidded, "Is that so?"

Yang could only nod at the smouldering gaze that Blake threw her way. It was intoxicating.

Blake very deliberately disentangled herself from Yang, never actually removing herself from the skin-to-skin contact. Then Yang watched, entranced as Blake pushed the blonde onto her back while the Faunus straddled her waist simultaneously, "Well in that case... I suppose I don't mind waking up a little early." Blake leaned in, her lips only inches from Yang's own. "Do you?" Blake asked heatedly.

Yang pushed up and took Blake's lips in a heated kiss, going crazy with desire at the sight of Blake's bare assets above her. The kiss deepened as Yang took a firm grip of Blake's posterior, their breasts pressing against each other sinfully close making her gasp in pleasu—

"Hey Blake, have you seen Yang- Oh my god!" Ruby exclaimed as she barged in unannounced. "I'm so sorry!" She bolted form the room, the door slamming shut as she fled.

And just like that the moment was gone.

"God dammit Ruby!" Yang cursed as Blake jumped from her perch to dive under the covers in utter embarrassment and mortification

_~~YBYB~~_

The table was awkward that morning for obvious reasons. Both Blake and Ruby sported near matching blushes that could put the latter's signature cloak to shame as they worked silently together to make breakfast for the quartet of roommates. Yang grumbled silently to herself, her onyx-black hand tapping incessantly on the table while she glanced at the television keeping up to date on current events.

Weiss, all the while, sat and glanced around questioningly at her team, not entirely sure what was going on. "Alright, what has gotten into you three?"

"Nothing!" Ruby shouted, far too quickly for her liking.

"Ruby..." Weiss spoke in a tone that said 'I'm not believing you for a second'.

Yang grumbled a reply, "She walked in on me and Blake this morning."

"Yang!" Both Blake and Ruby exclaimed.

"What? She was going to find out anyways." Yang shrugged, "Figured it would be easier to just get it over with."

"Walked in on you?" Weiss asked.

Yang gave her a look, "We were naked Weiss. We didn't _plan_ on getting up yet but someone," staring pointedly at her sister, "Seemed to forget that you're supposed to knock when a door is closed."

"I said I was sorry!" Ruby pouted, still red in the face.

"Well sorry if I'm a little annoyed you saw almost as much of Blake's ass as I did." Yang grumbled with a teasing glint in her eyes that Weiss caught.

"Can we not talk about this please?" Blake all but begged as she quickly finished up with stacks of waffles and bacon on the stove.

Weiss just stared gobsmacked at the episode going on in her kitchen. Seeing that things were just going to escalate between the sisters, only further embarrassing her black-themed teammate, she decided it was best to intervene this time. "How about we do as Blake asks and when we finish with breakfast we pair off and have a day of it? Yang, you and Blake go on a date or something, I have something I'd like to show you first though. Ruby, you and I should look around Atlas. All we've really done is train, work on our weapons, and the occasional duo missions."

"You've been going on missions?" Yang asked, almost accusingly.

"Yes, Yang. Nothing of import, basically Ruby and I filled in wherever there were personnel shortages. A lot has been going on these last few months as you well know." Weiss looked at the blonde sympathetically, "You and Blake needed to heal, but Ruby and I were fresh and ready to work. We couldn't sit idly by when we could be of some help. With you and Blake up and about now, we can look into taking full team missions." Weiss looked at her friend and leader, "How does that sound?"

Ruby grinned and pumped her fist in the air, "That sounds awesome!" she cheered.

"Excellent." Weiss smiled, "Now, how 'bout we finish this wonderful breakfast you two made for us before it get's cold?"

Everyone sat and began to chatter away about anything and everything, embarrassment all but forgotten in the wake of such a powerful friendship. _'Well done Weiss. I think you've outdone yourself this time.'_ Smiling thoughtfully, she dug into her meal as politely as possible. Excitement for the day barely kept beneath the surface.

_~~YBYB~~_

Ruby stared just as surprised as Yang and Blake at the object before them. Weiss smiling proudly to herself with the accomplishment.

"Is that what I think it is Weiss?" Yang asked with a tremble of utter excitement.

"It's the latest model, only five have been built to my knowledge. Likely because the military is requisitioning most facilities to increase Paladin production but that's just a guess. I pulled some strings and got this one off the shelves as a loan. Being heiress to the company that made it has its... unique perks." She said in an extremely satisfied tone.

"And you're just..."

"Let you take it?" Weiss finished for the blonde. "Yes, for now. Like I said, it is a loan so I'll have to take it back eventually. I figured since Bumblebee was one of the things that had to be left behind, you would need some transport until we could retrieve it."

Sitting in front of the team RWBY was the latest model of motorcycle. Ruby had no idea about what it was called beyond that. Though, the way Yang was practically drooling over the thing, it was clearly a very big deal.

The bike itself was a simple white with black accents along its frame. The build of the vehicle wasn't much different than Bumblebee, it just seemed a little bigger. Probably to hold the more powerful Dust coils which powered the beast.

Yang squealed. Actually _squealed_ as she wrapped Weiss in a bone crushing hug. "This is amazing Weiss! Thank you so much!" quickly putting her down she ran to Blake's side, "Come on, we are so milking this for all it's worth!"

"Y-Yang!"

Watching, Ruby giggled as Blake was thrown on the bike and forced to latch on for dear life as Yang revved the bike up and rocketed out of the garage below the apartment block.

Ruby took a glance at Weiss and saw her palming her face and shaking her head, "What was I thinking giving her that?" Weiss asked herself.

"Well, I think it was really nice of you Weiss." Ruby went up to the girl and gave her a warm embrace, "Thank you for looking out for my sister. It really means a lot to me, so thanks."

Weiss took a moment but eventually returned the hug just as fully. "We're teammates you dolt. I'd do anything for you three." She felt the heiress pull away and relented, "Come on, we've got our own day to enjoy." Weiss said with an exuberant smile.

_~~YBYB~~_

"Whoa, Weiss check it out!" The girl in red said, staring out one of the trams' many windows. The view was amazing. The railways, much like back in Vale, were raised above Atlas proper. This allowed for the incredible view of the many structures covered in the light layering of snow which had slowly been encompassing more and more of the defunct kingdom of Atlas, giving it the feel of a winter wonderland.

The light shining off of the snow was almost to point of blinding, but Atlas Academy in the distance was a sight to behold. The many structures which made up the school were congregated around the monolithic sight of Atlas' Cross-Continental Transmit Tower which doubled as the central hub of the school and a symbol of hope in darker times. The Atlas CCT was much larger than the one which still stood against all odds in Vale, allowing the three other kingdoms to coordinate even after the terrible acts which took place so many months ago.

"I told you that the CCT here was a sight to behold." Weiss said in her smug, jesting tone.

Ruby turned to her partner, both girls were wearing apparel more suited to the weather, thick pants and fashionable coats. Ruby wore a fitted black jacket with some heavy red accents, her signature hood overtop the ensemble. Weiss wore an off-white and blue long coat, lacking the cloak of her dear friend she opted on a slightly heavier jacket.

"'Look at me, I'm Weiss. I was so right about the tower back home. I still know facts.'" Ruby mocked the heiress in her even _higher_ voice, barely able to hold in her laughter at Weiss' flushed face.

"S-shut up." Weiss mumbled, trying to avoid getting the attention of the other passengers. Successfully thankfully.

Ruby quieted down, watching the world pass as the train passed over the city. "So, what did you want to show me Weiss?"

"A place I would go to occasionally as child. I think you'll enjoy it immensely."

"Well are you gonna tell me?"

"It's a surprise you dolt." Weiss chided.

"Fine." She grumbled.

Conversation stopped between the pair as they continued onwards. Once the train had stopped, Weiss led her through the bright city of Atlas. The city was sprawling with activity, people out for walks despite the cold weather truly settled in. Weiss finally directed her to a shop, and by the smell of it, Ruby knew what it was.

"A bakery?" She said in an excited voice.

"It's supposedly the best one this side of Atlas, I never had a problem so I've always come back while I was home. I haven't been here since... well, since we returned. I thought it would be a nice gift of sorts. My treat of course but don't overload yourself on sugar!"

"Wow..."

Walking inside it was apparent that the owners prided themselves on an impeccable appearance. Though small, the warm colours of the shop helped sooth from the cold as much as the heaters did. A glass cabinet displayed freshly baked goods of a surprising variety which practically had the young huntress-in-training drooling.

Picking some goods the pair got a small table by the window and enjoyed the soft light coming through the tinted glass. The pair sat for some time, talking about anything that came to mind. Weiss' Scroll started up and she looked to see who it was.

"Neptune?" she asked completely surprised.

Ruby watched as her partners went through a myriad of emotions, as she listened to the caller. Weiss looked out the window with an almost child-like glee. Following her gaze, Ruby saw Neptune and Sun waiving away. The two students of Haven arrived, sitting at the table.

"I thought you both went back to Mistral when everything happened." Weiss spoke.

Sun scratched his head, "Yeah, we did. But volunteers were asked to come here to Atlas to help with bolstering security for when General Ironwood goes back to Vale. We figured, 'why not?'"

"We wanted to see you guys so this was the perfect excuse." Neptune said, looking right at Weiss.

"So guys," Sun said, "How's Yang? And Blake? We haven't called so we wanted to know how things were going."

Ruby smiled, "They're both doing good I think. Yang was fitted with this super cool robot arm! It's amazing! And her and Blake are dating so it's-"

"Wait, what?" Sun asked.

Ruby clamped up there, looking embarrassed. Weiss took pity on her as she kept going, "Blake and Yang are in a relationship. It happened shortly after we got here... It's pretty serious." She said in a not unkind tone.

"Oh." Sun replied, "Well, that's good. Good for them, they're both happy?" he asked with a strained smile.

Ruby and Weiss gave him an understanding look, "Yeah Sun, they're out right now." The redhead said.

"I guess that's why she had her Scroll turned off." He said aloud. His smile turned genuine as he looked at them, "It was good to see you both, really. But um, I'm gonna go to the academy or something... get some training in. Hey Nep, I'll see you and the guys back at the dorm alright?"

Neptune frowned a little, "Sure man, if you need anything just call alright?"

"Sure dude. I'll talk to you guys later." He said as he left the rest of them in an awkward silence.

Ruby was the first to speak up, "I feel kinda bad now. I completely forgot about you guys after everything happened and... Yeah." She trailed off.

Neptune smiled it off, "Don't worry about it. Sun's a tough dude, He'll get past it. Eventually." He added.

"There won't be any hard feelings will there?" she asked.

The blue-haired boy shook his head, "He's tough, like I said. He's gonna be sore for a bit but, it'll pass. Blake was just... felt like a good fit to him. Who knows, maybe if things had been different it would've happened. Don't worry though, he meant it when he said he was happy for them. He probably just wishes that he could've done that."

"Do you think you should go after him?" Weiss asked.

"Nah, if he wanted me along, he would've said so. He's pretty blunt about things, he'll call if he needs me." Neptune assured the girls. "So ladies, what are your plans for the day?"

 _'Wow Neptune, you're everywhere right now aren't you?'_ thought the redhead.

Weiss tucked some non-existent hair behind her ear, "Nothing in particular. Just showing Ruby the sights." Ruby saw Weiss give her a quick glance, she narrowed her eyes in contemplation as she stared between the two, gears turning as she connected the dots.

"Hey Weiss! You wanted to go do that thing right? I uh, need to use the ladies room so why don't you take Neptune and I'll catch up okay?" She smiled at her partner.

Weiss gave her a quick look and her face reddened slightly, "Um, very well. Just don't dawdle too long." Grabbing her jacket, her and Neptune stood. The boy looking a little confused.

"Don't worry Weiss! Remember I'm really fast!" Grabbing her own jacket she ran off to the washroom, Scroll in hand typing a quick message. _*Now's your chance Weiss! Have fun! I'll hang out here for a little longer and catch up later.*_

The response was quick, _*Gods this is embarrassing, Thank you Ruby... I owe you. I left some more Lien on your chair, hurry back so someone doesn't steal it!*_

Doing as the heiress said, she hurried out after giving the pair some time get away. She rushed from the bathroom only to collide with someone as they abruptly turned front the glass case of pastries, knocking them both to the ground.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I?" Ruby rattled off at faster than she realized. Holding her hand out to the downed figure.

"Ow." Came the reply of the woman she had knocked down. The woman looked up to reveal that she had one of her eyes covered by a beanie, leaving the other shining steel-blue orb to stare into Ruby as she grasped the proffered hand gratefully.

Ruby looked over the girl who was only a few inches taller, taking in her almost comically bundled form. Forcing herself not to chuckle at the sight, she noticed that she had knocked a paper wrapped pastry form the girl's hand in the fall.

"Oh no, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ruin your snack." She whined a little.

She was surprised when she got a chuckle in response, "Don't worry about it. I'm May. May Zedong." She introduced, still holding Ruby's hand.

The name sounded familiar, "I'm Ruby Rose. I feel like I've met you before though..."

May's eye showed recognition at the name. "Oh, yeah, I remember now; we were in the Vytal Tournament. I watched your fights, very impressive shooting by the way." The blue-eyed girl complimented.

Ruby blushed at the praise, "Thanks. I remember you too now, you were on team... BRNZ?" she ventured, getting a half-hearted nod from the girl. "Yeah, your team fought with my friends, team JNPR. Sorry you guys couldn't get any farther." She said.

May had an indecipherable look on her face, she appeared to be thinking on something,

"May? You okay?" the redhead asked.

It seemed to knock her from whatever she was thinking about, and a light returned to her eye that Ruby hadn't realised was gone in the first place. "Yeah I'm fine." The girl said with a small smile, "You don't need to worry about me Little Red."

Ruby froze.

 _"Little Red, Little Red. You are just_ determined _to be the Hero of Vale, aren't you?"_

 _"The real world is cold, the real world doesn't care about spirit ...Then die like every other Huntsmen in history ...As for me, I'll do what I do best. Lie, steal, cheat... and_ survive—"

_Ruby burst from the maintenance hall doors back into the arena, as she went to bolt forward she saw Penny on the view screen, lying destroyed among her own weapons..._

"—Ruby, hey are you okay?" May asked, shaking her by the shoulder with her free hand.

Ruby looked up, not quite sure where she was at the moment, "Huh?"

"You're squeezing my hand Ruby."

Ruby looked down and saw that she was gripping May's hand like a vice, the girl's fingers changing colour from the constriction. Ruby quickly let with just as quick an apology. "Here, let me get you some lien for the food I wrecked." As she moved past May to go grab the money Weiss had left her she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey look, I know we don't really know each other but, really, are you alright. You wanna talk about it?" May asked sincerely.

"I..." She didn't even really know what she was feeling. Ruby had just... put everything out of her mind. With the loss of Vale, Yang's injury, and everything else that had been going on, Ruby had simply put everything from her mind. Through training with Weiss and the rest of her team, tuning her own weapon, and any other number of things that didn't come to mind. She'd... forgotten. But not even an entire day of relaxing and a simple comment brought it all crashing down.

She wasn't really sure how to deal with it.

"Um, it's just some stuff." Ruby shrugged.

May stared back at Ruby for a moment before nodding and pulling Ruby across the room, grabbing Ruby's jacket and the Lien that she assumed Ruby was going for and pushing them into the red-themed girls' free hand. "Come on, I wanna show you something, put on your jacket."

Hardly being given a chance to refuse, Ruby was taken and urged into the covering. Then unceremoniously led from the cafe down the street. May smiling kindly at her the entire time.

Ruby wasn't taking in her surroundings. Instead, she stared at the back of the taller girl taking strong, sure steps. Like she knew exactly where she was going. Ruby wasn't sure how long it was before they reached their destination but, after a time, the pair arrived in a small area that might have served as an open market in kinder weather. Though tucked against one of the largest walls was a sight that Ruby wasn't sure she was ready for.

It was a memorial. Pictures, candles, and flowers were lain out in front of the wall. There was no one there at the moment aside form them but, based on how fresh the flowers that were present appeared they had just missed whoever had placed them. Finally letting go of her hand, May walked toward the memorial and stood there, hands going to her pockets. Despite the thickness of her jacket, she appeared to be not handling the cold too well.

Ruby was silent, unsure why May would have brought her here. That is until May spoke.

"I lost a teammate at Beacon." She started, "His name was Roy. Our team wasn't at the coliseum when it happened, but, we were in the aftermath. We called our lockers and we did our job. Taking out all the Grimm we could while helping those we could. I... I got distracted. A Nevermore was coming down at me... but Roy saw it. He knocked me out of the way and that was it. Roy was gone." Throughout her recounting of events May's voice began to tremble though it never faltered. She turned to look at Ruby, "I can see it in your eyes you know. You lost someone." She stated.

Ruby stared hard at the ground, not entirely sure what to say at first. She just nodded, but then, it all just spilled out.

"Her name was Penny. The girl that was…" Ruby couldn't finish the words. "Then everyone started screaming. I didn't even know what was happening for a while. Then, my friend Pyrrha was in trouble and I just… put it out of my mind. I guess I was just fighting long enough that I let it stay buried." Ruby looked up at the young woman in front of her, the steel-blue orb giving its undivided attention. "Then I fought with someone. His name was Roman Torchwick, he was part of the group that caused all of what happened in Vale. He said that the world doesn't care about heroes. That all we do is die. Then… he died."

The tears began to fall from Ruby's eyes, "He would call me Little Red. I guess you just made me remember."

May walked over and embraced Ruby in a tight hug which was gratefully returned. They stood there for a couple of minutes while Ruby cried quietly, clinging to what amounted as a stranger.

"Hey, how about you and I get out of here. Grab some food or something?" May suggested quietly.

Ruby pulled back to look at the woman with teared-up eyes, "Like, like a date?"

May gave her a pervy grin, "Well do you want it to be?"

Ruby realized just how close she was to the woman, literally being held in her arms. She jumped back with an 'eep', covering her face in embarrassment.

"Hey, hey calm down there. I was only teasing you. No funny business. Let's get some food and work from there." May held her hand out to Ruby in invitation.

Ruby peered through her fingers for a moment before tentatively taking the girl's hand.

"Alright. Let's have some fun!" May says exuberantly, her whole demeanour taking a switch. She began dragging Ruby to parts unknown, but, Ruby only felt safe and warm in this person's company.

Like no one could ever hurt her.

Blushing away, Ruby managed to grab her Scroll and send a message to Weiss. _*Hey, I won't be catching up with you today. You have fun with Neptune. I think I made a new friend today.*_

Ruby glanced at her Scroll, a new message coming in quite quickly. _*You call me if you need me you Dolt. I'll be there as soon as you do.*_

Ruby smiled as she replied, _*don't you worry partner, I'm okay. I'll see you at home, later!*_

With that Ruby pocketed the tech and focus on the girl who still clasped her hand, mirroring the grin that adorned the older girl's beautiful, tanned face.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, "another" one more chapter. Chapters nine and eight were posted as well today,

**_The Broken Huntress: Chapter Ten_ **

Blake held on for dear life as Yang careened down through the streets of Atlas. Thanking her lucky stars that Atlas was somehow capable of keeping the streets almost entirely clear of ice and snow, likely through some advancement in technology that wouldn't make sense to have anywhere else, given that Atlas had much longer winters than anywhere else populated in all of Remnant. Solitas was a frozen bloody wasteland.

After she had convinced Yang to stop and purchase them both some helmets, they whizzed around the city, Yang giggling to herself the entire time. It made her hold Yang all the tighter to hear such joy coming from her lover, every moment that Yang was happy was a moment that she would cherish and hold on to. After everything Yang had gone through in the last few months, she deserved every one of them. Yang eventually stopped the bike, letting her see exactly where they were.

"Is this an arcade?" She asked, staring at the establishment built into the shopping centre, taking off her new black helmet.

"Oh yeah, you and me are gonna be breaking some records, Blakey." Yang said confidently, removing her own as well. "Then you and me are going to go and have a nice lunch somewhere. We haven't gone on a real date yet and I plan to change that."

She squeezed the busty blonde affectionately, "Thanks, you, me, and an arcade full of children, how romantic." She said teasingly.

"I know, I'm the best girlfriend ever, you'll see." Yang lifted her right arm up and mock flexed, "And with this, I'm gonna destroy some strength tests."

Getting off the bike while rolling her eyes she gave Yang a look, "Isn't that blatant cheating?"

"I never said I was going to play fair!" Yang stuck out her tongue, setting the kickstand on the bike and wrapping her right arm around her waist. "Let's go!"

The inside of the arcade was dark by comparison to the bright whites of the glaring snow outside, they took off their jackets and checked them in with the helmets. They didn't want to broil in the congested atmosphere with all the rampaging children who laughed and screamed at the flashing lights of the multitude of games.

Yang wore a simple outfit today, tight brown leather pants that went very well with her old combat boots and a yellow tank-top that she covered with a short-sleeved button-down shirt that was only buttoned to just above her bust. It was a very casual attire that Blake was _really_ enjoying, she really enjoyed it when she noticed that Yang didn't seem to be at all uncomfortable with her prosthetic being out for all to see. Blake herself had decided on wearing one of her old combat attires, it was comfortable and a safe bet for most activities.

After the pair had purchased some of the tokens for the different games, Yang looked to Blake. "So Blake, where do you want to start?"

"I wouldn't have the first clue, Yang. I've never been in one before, let's just follow your lead."

"Wait, never?" Yang seemed quite surprised. "Why is that?"

"I didn't have the greatest childhood, Yang. I always wanted to help with rallies and things like that, I never had the time. And I wasn't a popular kid, since, you know." She gestured to her uncovered ears, realizing that she went without the bow more and more often.

Yang looked mollified at that comment, "Sorry, I totally wasn't thinking about that. Did you want to head back and grab a bow? Did you bring an extra? We could run and get you a hat for the day too?" She rattled off ideas until Blake put a finger to her lips.

"Yang, its fine. I don't need anything but you right now. If I get uncomfortable we can do something about it. Let's have some fun, okay?"

"Alright, if you're sure, then good enough for me." Yang took Blake's hand in a gentle but firm grip with her prosthetic, "Come on, let's see if I can break one of these things!" the blonde said with glee, dragging the Cat Faunus across the arcade. The pair came to a stop in front of what looked like some sort of tall meter, there was a comically-sized, pink hammer next to a plate beneath the meter. "Oh, Nora would love this!" Yang picked up the hammer and slotted a token to start up the device.

"Please don't _try_ and break it. Please?" Blake pleaded.

Yang just grinned manically and brought the hammer down on the plate, the machine started whirring and lights went crazy as sounds and other fixtures began to move about on the game.

_'This seems a bit much for a game where you literally hit a button.'_ Blake thought for a moment. _'But then again, I can't complain about the results.'_ She thought as Yang had a child-like glee to her face as she watched the numbers climb until it stopped at 9999 and refused to go higher since the game only went to four digits.

"Hey Blake, look, it's over nine thousand!" Yang cheered.

Yang watched her, expecting some reaction it seemed, "I don't think I'm getting the joke Yang."

Yang pouted for a moment, "Bah, never mind, it wasn't that funny anyway."

"Wow…"

Looking around, Blake and Yang noticed a young boy staring at the blonde like she was a superhero. He couldn't have been older than ten. "You're really strong."

Yang smiled at him, "Thanks buddy."

He looked at the hand holding the hammer, "Hey, what happened to your arm lady?" he asked innocently. Before Blake could even think of something to say to that they were interrupted.

"Gray!" Came an admonishing voice, they all looked and saw a woman hurry over and give Yang an apologetic look, "Gray, that is that is very rude." She looked back at Yang, "I'm so sorry." The woman said.

Yang gave them a soft, if somewhat painful, smile, "No, it's okay, really. May I?" Yang asked the woman, who gave a tentative nod. Yang smiled a little wider and kneeled down in front of the boy. "Hi, I'm Yang Xiao Long," the woman stiffened slightly from the name, "What's your name?"

"Gray Gambit." He said meekly.

"That, is an awesome name!" Yang said enthusiastically. "So, you wanted to know what happened to my arm." Gray nodded. "Well, I won't go into the details but, I got hurt really bad by a mean person, and some good people had to give me a new one. But that wasn't what saved me."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yep," Yang reached up and grabbed Blake's hand, getting her to kneel with the blonde. "This is Blake, and she saved me from the really bad person. And when I was really sad because of what happened, she saved me again." Blake looked over, not letting the shock of the statement show on her face.

"Wow."

"I know, she's super awesome, right?" Yang grinned, she ruffled his hair a bit with her left hand and pulled out their remaining tokens. "Here, you go have fun buddy."

After the mother and son duo had moved on Yang spoke, "Hey, can we get out of here? I think I wanna drive a bit more and then go for that lunch."

"Of course, Yang." Blake said in an understanding tone.

_~~YBYB~~_

After a fairly short ride due to the speed Yang insisted on driving, Blake and Yang sat side by side in a private corner booth of a fairly nice restaurant, Blake had ended up buying a soft, thin beanie to wear just so they didn't risk any problems over lunch. It consisted of some light small talk and some silly banter that felt like a bit of a deflection for what happened earlier I the arcade. Blake wasn't mad at the boy for his question, he was just a curious child, and no child had any reliable word filter. They were well into their meal when Blake decided to ask some more important questions.

"Yang, do you want to talk about it?" She asked.

Yang fiddled with her straw as she seemed to gaze at her prosthetic hand for a moment. When Blake thought she wouldn't reply Yang spoke, "I was afraid. Probably still am if I'm being honest with myself."

Blake didn't need to voice what Yang was talking about, "So what happened at the arcade?" she asked gently.

Yang shrugged, "Telling the kid that story just… reminded me of it. It made me a little uncomfortable to be there anymore. Too much noise, sorry about that."

Blake placed her hand on top of Yang's left comfortingly, "You never have to apologize for that. And I'll have more than words for anyone who says otherwise." Blake said dangerously.

Yang looked over and grinned, "You know you're still really hot when you get all protective, right?"

Blake blushed but soldiered on, "Don't change the subject, Yang."

Yang's face became thoughtful, quietly deciding what to say next. "I never talked to you about my therapy sessions did I?" Yang continued when Blake shook her head. "It was pretty rough at first, Sometimes I wouldn't talk, others I wouldn't stop, and then I might just scream and yell for no reason but because I could."

Blake just quietly listened, grasping Yang's hand a little tighter.

"I've been having nightmares ever since it happened. They've gotten so much better since, but… I still have them. But I guess you already know that. Swords bothered me for a bit too. I think it actually helped though that you use a sword though."

"Yang…"

"Even after I got the new arm I still felt broken. Like something didn't work quite right, you know?" Yang's gaze became determined, "But that was before. Not anymore, Blake. I don't want to cry about the past, I messed up but I'd do it again for you. And even though I'm afraid of Adam Taurus, if – when, I see him again, I'm going to make sure he can't hurt anyone again."

"Yang, are you saying…"

"No. I'm not going to kill him. At least… if I don't have to."

"Yang, Adam isn't someone to be taken lightly."

Yang placed her prosthetic overtop of the hand Blake had on top of her other hand, "I know Blake, I won't make the same mistake again. He'll wish that he killed me because I'm just that much stronger because of this. And besides, I won't have to face him alone. I'll have you there to back me up."

"Oh, Yang."

"Hey," Yang raised her hand to wipe away tears Blake didn't realize were falling, "No more crying, it's time for us to soar."

Before Blake could say something about how cheesy that line was, Yang leaned in to give her a scorching kiss, ebbing away her fears with every caress.

_~~YBYB~~_

Weiss sat quietly, her eyes closed as she listened to the musician currently on stage. Smiling lightly as she followed the soft jazz that being played, definitely a trumpet. Then she heard Neptune laugh.

A small frown replaced her smile as she opened her eyes narrowly and stared of at the direction she'd heard his voice. Over at the bar were the Mistralian boy was supposed to be getting them some more drinks, she could see Neptune openly flirting with a pretty waitress. The girl looked like she was enjoying the attention, though then again, she might just be fishing for a tip. But the way the blue-haired boy leaned casually on the bar, it seemed like he might be there for some time.

"Idiot." She sighed quietly.

Really, it hadn't been a terrible afternoon. She had legitimately enjoyed Neptune's company as they went from talking around and simply talking, to come to this small, but surprisingly good music bar. But then Neptune had to be Neptune. As she went about her… date? Could she even call it that? She had come to a stark realization that Neptune was all around good guy.

Except for his incessant need to flirt.

Neptune wasn't boyfriend material. At least not yet. He still seemed to be going through this phase where he needed to prove… something, whatever that means. And if she was being honest with herself, Neptune seemed to just be a pretty good friend that she might be able to harmlessly flirt with, just not do anything with. Sighing as the wonderful trumpet petered off, she got up from their shared table and walked out of the bar to get some fresh air, the atmosphere was becoming a little too stifling.

Hands on her hips, she looked up to the sky and took some calming breaths. She'd just have to go back in and let Neptune know that this, whatever they she thought it was, wasn't going to work. Dust, maybe she just wasn't ready for a relationship anyways. Why rush? Because Yang and Blake hit it off so well even with the terrible circumstances?

No, she didn't need to rush. Maybe Neptune wouldn't be so unreliable in the dating department when she was. But it just wasn't going to work right now.

"Having a rough night?"

That voice sounded vaguely familiar. Weiss turned and was shocked to see a familiar face. "Flynt?"

The dark-skinned young man grinned as he sauntered out of the bar, trumpet in hand. "Weiss Schnee. I wouldn't have guessed you'd be in a place like this."

She frowned, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Flynt raised his hands in surrender once his trumpet was holstered to his thigh, "Sorry, that didn't come out the way I meant it to. I guess I should say I didn't think you would know this place was here." Gesturing to the bar.

Weiss flushed a bit, "I, um, didn't know actually. My… friend brought me here."

"And," Flynt came up alongside her, "What did you think of my humble watering hole?"

"It… it's honestly a very nice place. Smaller than what I've had the luxury of being at, less stiff than them, as well. I like it. Especially the jazz. I haven't listen to any good jazz recently, I really enjoyed the… trumpet…" she gazed over at Flynt as he grinned. Her gaze fell to his weapon of choice. "That was you wasn't it? Gods, I'm such an idiot sometimes."

Flynt laughed at that, "Wow, Weiss could I get you to say that again? Man, now I wish I had recorded that." He snickered as Weiss gave him a half-hearted glare when she noticed the mirth in his eyes.

"You can be so insufferable."

"Alright, I dig it." He agreed, "So, why are you out here alone when you say your friend brought you here?"

Weiss crossed her arms defensively, she chided herself quietly but it was too late to take it back, "I don't really want to talk about it."

Flynt didn't respond immediately, taking his time he walked ahead of Weiss, "Okay, I won't bring up fact that the pretty boy at the bar pretty much stood you up. His loss, I say."

Weiss looked at his back, "What?"

"'His loss' I said. Who would stand up Weiss Schnee if she decided to show some interest?"

"Why, because I'm so rich that I can't possibly be interested in anything below the aristocracy?" She said with more bit than she had meant to.'

Flynt turned around, but he didn't seem upset with Weiss' tone, "No. Because the Weiss I came to know after a few short days is a pretty chill girl. And from what I can tell, she is unflinchingly loyal to those she cares about. She's a talented huntress-in-training, and you'd have to be at least a little dumb not to appreciate that."

Weiss blushed deeper with every compliment that came out of Flynt's mouth. "Thank you." She said quietly.

"Though, you're also a bit snooty sometimes. Definitely too stinking rich, and something else I can't seem to think of right now…"

Weiss huffed at his playful tone and grin, "You jerk!" said half-heartedly as she lightly smacked him.

"Hey, unnecessary violence, girl!" he chuckled.

Weiss huffed at Flynt as she turned her back.

She felt him lightly squeeze her shoulder as he walked by her. "Hey, I've got one more set before I'm done for the day. Come on back inside for a listen, I always save the best for last." Twirling his trumpet as he waltzed inside.

Weiss stood there, shaking her head as she realized that Flynt just spent his break cheering her up. With a confidant smile on her face she walked back into the bar and sat down at her table, now focused on the stage fully as Flynt went back up on the small stage to begin playing. Thoughts of Neptune drifted from her mind as she thought that Flynt stared at her the rest of his set.

She couldn't find any reason to really complain.

_~~YBYB~~_

Ruby laughed hard as she watched may make a fool of herself trying to ice skate. Having hailed from Vacuo, May had never had the chance to see ice unless it was in her freezer, let alone all of the snow that was a constant for the continent of Solitas.

"Well, let's see how good you are Miss Rose." May huffed as she tried, and failed, to stand after falling on her butt once again.

Ruby giggled as she slid gently across the ice to the downed May, "Well, I'm no Weiss Schnee, but, I do know my way around a pair of ice skates, Desert Girl." Ruby giggled as she held her out to the older girl. May gratefully grabbed her hand, then her face became diabolical as she yanked Ruby down on top of her, making Ruby squeal as they slid around on the ice.

May breathed deeply, "Desert Girl, huh? Okay, I know I was saying that it wasn't natural to have this much ice anywhere but… I don't think I have it in me to complain about the results."

Ruby blushed as he noticed her state, straddling May's thighs, while the girl still hadn't released her hand. Ruby was unable to come up with a response, she was far too shy to say something bold about it.

May must have thought that she'd gone too far as she let go of Ruby and managed to shimmy herself out from under the smaller girl. "Sorry, Ruby, didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It just… kind of happened."

Ruby looked up and managed to shake her overloaded head, "I-it's okay, really. I just… I've never done, anything like this. I mean, I've skated before but I mean stuff like-." May pressed a finger to ruby's lips, causing a pleasant fluttering in her stomach. Ruby blushed hard as she almost opened her mouth to let the finger slip in.

"I get it. I just keep forgetting. You're just, really, really cute, Ruby." May said without a hint of shame.

Ruby say on her knees and mumbled a thanks for the compliment. Ruby got up when she noticed that May was shivering, "Come on, maybe we should call it a night." She held out her hand again, with May actually standing up. With Ruby's help, May managed to get the ices' edge.

"Alright, but let me take you home?" may asked. Ruby smiled and nodded.

Shortly after, Ruby and May were on a transit train to get Ruby home. Ruby smiled into her scarf when May laid her arm across Ruby's shoulders, the smaller girl shuffled closer and leaned into the hold, making May tighten said hold. It was a quiet affair as the pair watched the night pass by, the light thrum of the train as it moved along its mag-rail.

"Thanks for hanging out with me Ruby. I had a lot of fun with you, really." May said with a heartfelt tone.

"Your welcome." Ruby whispered.

After the train had stopped and the pair began the short walk to Team RWBY's apartment, Ruby decided to do something a little bold. She tentatively reached around May's waist and held onto her, much like May was doing with her shoulders, it just seemed like the thing to do. And if the way may tightened her hold even more, it was the right choice.

Ruby was a little sad when she noticed that they were in front of the apartment door. With a sigh, Ruby disentangled herself, May seemed just as reluctant to be apart as well, much to Ruby's delight. "I… I had a really great time May. Thank you for… a wonderful time." Ruby's voice cracked a little.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's just… something that Penny would say. I think she would have really liked you." May wrapped her in an embrace that was gratefully received.

"I bet Roy would have liked you too, Ruby."

"Thanks, May."

"It's my pleasure, Little Rose."

Ruby, tried to hold in her sob but it didn't work. She just held May tighter, "My mom used to call me that."

"I'm sorry, Ruby," may must have caught the past tense, "Do you want me to not say that?"

Ruby shook her head, "No, I, I like it. It just caught me by surprise."

May pulled back and looked down at Ruby, Ruby's eyes were transfixed on the blue-steel orbs that gazed at her with an emotion she wasn't quite familiar with, and they seemed to grow larger by the moment. And then Ruby was pressing her lips clumsily against May's as her eyes closed. May hummed him surprised approval as she returned the kiss with gusto. Ruby's lips felt like they were sparking with electricity, the warm thrum she felt was intense, an uncomfortable burning in her chest made her pull back reluctantly for air.

Gasping for breath, the pair gazed at each other eyes wide and dilated. "So," May started, "Does that mean you'll say 'yes' if I ask for your Scroll number?"

Ruby just nodded dumbly.

"Great! Um, so…" May pulled her Scroll from her pocket and Ruby managed to do the same, after sharing information, Ruby was about to open the door when May lunged in for another quick but fierce kiss. "So, I'll call you?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I'd really like that." Ruby opened the door, "I'll see you soon?"

"Definitely." May grinned.

"Great!" Ruby moved into the doorway, "Um, goodnight May, get home safe." May nodded and waved as she walked back from the door, not taking her eyes off of Ruby even as the door closed.

Ruby leaned back against the door for a moment just to process what had happened today. Then she balled her fists and squealed in delight.

"What all the racket about Ruby?" Came Yang's voice from the living room.

"Um! Um, nothing!" Ruby hastily said.

Yang appeared in the hall as if she had Ruby's Semblance, "It doesn't sound like nothing to me." Yang grinned, as she walked toward the door, easily nudging Ruby out of the way as she opened the door to see may only just turning around. "Hey, you!" she called out.

May froze and turned around, looking at Yang with a bit of caution.

"You hurt my little sister, I break you." Yang emphasized this by lifting her prosthetic arm and clenching her fist, the metal clinking dangerously with the threat.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled, utterly mortified.

"Y-yes ma'am!" May said.

"Good!" Then Yang slammed the door shut.

"I'm sorry!" Ruby yelled at the door, hoping May would hear her. Ruby then turned on her sister with a righteous fury, "Yang! Why did you have to try and scare her?"

"Because you're my baby sister, Rubes. It's Big Sister Code."

"Dust damn 'Big Sister Code!'"

_"Ruby Rose!?"_   Yang admonished.

"Don't you 'Ruby Rose' me. I didn't go and threaten Blake when you two started dating. And I even saw you both naked! Together!"

"Come on, I did the same thing for Weiss."

"Yang Xiao Long, you will shut up this instant you brute!" Weiss hollered across the apartment.

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked.

"Yang, leave them alone." Blake said loud but calm.

"Weiss went and got herself some dark chocolate." Yang snickered.

Ruby got wide-eyed. "Weiss! You got chocolate and you didn't think to share!?" her anger forgotten, Ruby rushed to Weiss' side while Yang howled with laughter.

Blake sighed and tried to continue reading her book, missing Yang as she had been an excellent body pillow to lounge against. Weiss was sputtering, trying to explain that she didn't, in fact, have any chocolate to her hyperactive leader. All the while yang fell to the ground in tears from her laughter.

It was a good day to be a part of Team RWBY.


	11. Chapter 11

** _The Broken Huntress: Chapter Eleven_ **

Yang looked around the familiar room, a gentle smile on her face as she took in the warm, autumn colors that graced almost every surface. The shelves with multitudes of books, all of them pertaining to medical information in some way, she was sure. Yang finally looked at the other woman in the room who sat across from her, a small coffee table separating them on the high-backed chairs they shared.

"I must say Yang, I'm a little surprised that you're here now. I haven't seen you since you finished your last mandatory session. Surprised, but glad." The woman smiled gently as she went about preparing tea from a small set on the table. Offering a cup to Yang, which she took, much to the elated surprise of the therapist.

"Thanks, Doc," Yang gestured to her tea, "I've grown a bit of a taste for tea recently."

"Why is that?"

"Well, I guess it's because of Blake."

"Your partner?"

Yang smiled, "Yeah, my partner."

The doctor took a sip from her own cup before she placed it on the table, "How are things going between you and Blake? If it isn't too personal to speak about. You already know some of my misgivings to this relationship that you have."

Yang sighed, "I know, you were worried about us rushing into things due to emotional stress and trauma. I get that, I really do, Doc. But, things have been great; awesome even. We haven't been closer or stronger than ever before. And… I don't know," Yang shrugged, some embarrassment in her posture, "I think that Blake might be it for me."

The Doctor's smile was small, but it was genuine, "You mean as in marriage? Have you really thought about this? You're only eighteen, Yang."

Yang started shaking her head, "Marriage? I don't know how Blake would feel about that, but… that's still a while off. I wouldn't want to run into that. I am only eighteen, Doc." Yang grinned at her little jab.

"As long as you are sure, it's wise to take your time with decisions like this. They are extreme commitments. But I want you to know that I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Doc." Thoughts of Blake in a white gown, with her walking by her side in a matching one brought a smile to her face.

'Doc' sighed, "I told you that you could use my name, you know, are you ever going to do so?"

"Nope." She grinned, "I think 'Doc' suits you, Doc."

'Doc' shook her head, reaching for her tea, "So, you called me for this session. Please, I want to hear what you have to say, even if I do so enjoy this banter you seem to play at." She said with some light-hearted sarcasm. "But tell me, how are the nightmares?" she asked gently.

Yang sobered as she thought about it for a moment, "They've gotten better. It been what, six… seven weeks since I first saw you?" 'Doc' nodded for Yang to continue, "Right, I only have them once in a while now. I haven't had one for almost a week, and almost as long for the time before that."

"That's fantastic, Yang!"

The blonde nodded, "I think it might be because of Blake. She helps me see that I didn't lose something for nothing." Yang gestured at her mechanical arm.

"And how have you been adjusting? I know you had acclimated to it by the time I first saw you but it isn't that same thing, really."

Yang picked up her tea with the onyx limb, holding the cup gently, "It's honestly kind of amazing. I always say that now, but I really mean it. It isn't like the real thing but its close. Ironwood did a really good job with this thing." Yang gave her limb another appreciative glance.

"And how have you been feeling? You seem to have found some peace since we last saw each other." The doctor said perceptively.

Yang nodded, "Yeah, I was all over the place. I still get depressed sometimes. Blake and I were on a date… three weeks ago, I think. There was a kid and he asked about my arm."

"How did you take it?"

"It was hard. But I didn't lose my cool. I explained to him that I got hurt. No details though, he couldn't have even been ten yet. I think his mom recognized me from the Vytal Tournament, she seemed a little off put by me for a bit. But I'm getting side-tracked, the kid, he reminded me about my arm, I didn't even think about it until he mentioned something. But I realized when then that I wasn't angry anymore. That losing my arm wasn't a stigma that I had to hide or be embarrassed about, bad things happen sometimes and I was lucky enough to be able to move on so quickly."

"Truly, Yang, this is incredible."

"Well, it's not perfect yet, Doc. I'm still scared sometimes. Adam Taurus scares me. But now I want to face him."

"Why?"

Yang put down her cup and clasped her fingers together. "So he can't hurt anyone like he did me ever again."

'Doc' had a thoughtful look on her face, she didn't answer for a moment, "Have you told anyone else your feelings about this?"

Yang nodded, "Blake knows… she was worried that I wanted to try and kill him, actually."

"Do you, Yang?"

Yang shook her head quietly, "No. I may not be angry anymore, but I still have dark, hateful thoughts when I think of him. But… as much of a monster as Adam Taurus is, he's still a person. And killing a person isn't like destroying a Creature of Grimm. That'll mark your soul."

"Wise words. Please try to remember them. They will serve you well, you are not the first Huntsmen or Huntress that has been faced with this choice. And I will tell you that sometimes that choice will be made for you, whether you like it or not. Choose what is right for you, when the choice is still yours to make."

"Don't worry. I have a wonderful moral compass to walk by," Yang's eyes lit up, "Oh, and my little sister started dating someone! Oh she's so adorable sometimes! But she was really mad at me when…"

_~~YBYB~~_

He stared at his Scroll intensely. Not even noticing how uncomfortable he was making the young Faunus in White Fang garb. _'Everything is in place. Now I only need to wait a few more days and I'll have what is mine. Blake… you are mine.'_

"Um, sir? Brother Adam?" The pitiful man and asked.

"What is it?"

"There's… there's something I think you should see. I was scouting and-."

"Spit it out already." He didn't feel like prattling about with underlings, not so close to his goal.

The man shakily raised his Scroll and offered it to Adam, he took with only just hidden disdain for the weakling. He looked at the photo on the screen and just managed to school his features. "Where was this taken?" he demanded in a chilling tone.

"In-in the upper class district. I-I saw them and took the pi-picture today. I came straight here, Brother Adam." The simpering man managed to stutter out.

Adam stared heavily at the picture. It was a photo of that blonde girl, the one who Blake had tried to replace him with. She was smiling, wearing a thick leather jacket with long coat tails long sides, and she bore a new prosthetic arm. He was angered that it also bore Blake's emblem.

But what angered him the most is what the blonde was doing. She held Blake in her arms tenderly as she seemed to be peppering kisses along Blake's face. Blake was smiling like he'd never seen before.

He crushed the Scroll in his hand. This drew the attention of his… associates. Emerald, Mercury and Neo glanced over at him.

He pulled his Scroll up and made a call. "Tell the men to get ready, we're moving now," he told to his Second on the other end. The man simply nodded and cut the call.

"What hell are you doing?" Emerald said, "We're not ready yet!"

"I suppose you should get ready then." He said unapologetically. Emerald looked like she wanted to rage at him but thought better of it, the girl wasn't so stupid he supposed.

"Dammit! Merc, Neo, let's go we need to grab the girl, she's at the training fields. If we're lucky she'll only have that Vacuo girl with her!" Emerald didn't wait to see if the pair would follow. But they did in the end, Merc got up, sighing. While the quiet one played with her Scroll a moment longer before she stepped out at a leisurely pace.

Adam smacked the Faunus who had given him the information, "Leave me." The man promptly left without a word.

_'Why must you hurt me, Blake?'_

_~~YBYB~~_

"… So everything is place, then?" James Ironwood asked, he looked up from his desk at Qrow Branwen, the man still perpetually attached to the tumor which was his flask.

"Yep, if everything goes as planned, we'll be moving in a couple of hours. Then Vale is just a hop and a skip away to reclamation." The scythe-wielder said in his gravelly voice.

"Good, I want make sure that-." Ironwood cut himself off when his Scroll received a message. He picked it up and scanned over the text quickly, he paled as he read the information. He stood abruptly, "Qrow, get up. The plan has accelerated, we need to move. Now."

Qrow lost his drunken demeanor, "What the hell happened? They weren't supposed to move for a couple of days still!"

"I don't know, Qrow," Ironwood marched to the elevator, "But they have moved up the timetable and are targeting Ruby, you need to find her. She'll try and avoid casualties but she can't guarantee Ruby's safety, Hurry, Qrow!"

"This Long-Con was a real crap idea, wasn't it?" Qrow didn't bother with the elevator, he moved to the window.

"She'll ping the location when they stop moving. But find her first if you can!" Ironwood ordered as the elevator doors began to close.

Qrow didn't bother answering as he leapt from the tower, the flapping of wings swallowed by the rush of air…

_~~YBYB~~_

"Wow, Ruby, you are a beast with that scythe! I didn't stand a chance, did I?" May complimented as the pair walked down the street. She watched the sun already on its way down in the sky.

"Aw, don't be like that, May! You aren't a close range fighter. You are still amazing though, your Semblance is so cool! I had trouble pegging you down, all those tight turns really messed with my momentum," May watched as Ruby rubbed her shoulder, "And you gave as good as you got May, we were both in the red by the time I won!"

May threw an arm over Ruby's shoulders as they walked, rubbing her hand down Ruby's arm affectionately, "Fair enough, Little Rose. Thanks for the ego-boost." _'You are so damn precious sometimes.'_

Ruby blushed at the contact, "I'm really, really glad I met you May." Ruby said quietly.

The statement was great to hear, but it was also a surprise, "Me too, but what brought this up?"

Ruby shrugged, "Just want you to know that I appreciate you, I suppose." Ruby leaned into May's side dramatically, "Ugh, I'm so tired!" May chuckled at Ruby's act as she looked up pleadingly, "can I have backrub when you take me home?" Ruby whined.

She hid her adoration of the younger girl. She didn't want Ruby to know just how much she liked to see her act out like this. It was so great to see her smile and act childish, what with how their lives had gone recently, they both needed it.

She was lucky. The chance of meeting Ruby in that little pastry shop just those few weeks ago had been a godsend. Ruby was just… Ruby. And that was just the way she wanted her. Those silver eyes glowing with happiness. Happiness that she felt proud to have helped keep there.

It was a little scary how quick she was falling for this girl.

May feigned disinterested, pretending to think about it for a few seconds while Ruby pulled all the stops on her puppy pout, even some fake tears cropped up. It was adorably dorky. "Well… I suppose so." May said in a mock exasperated tone. But after you gotta-."

-May gasped as she felt a sharp pain go through her back.

"May?" Ruby gasped out, May looked down at her but Ruby's gazed was fixated on her chest. May looked down and saw a thin blade protruding from her chest. She tried to speak but felt a sharp tug as the blade was pulled from her back as she collapsed.

"May!" Ruby cried out.

She tried get up, she really did, but it was because of Ruby that held her from falling over completely. She tried to reach for her rifle but everything felt so heavy. "R-Ruby." _'I have to move. Move dammit, come on!'_

But Ruby wasn't paying attention, she looked behind May in horror, "Torchwick?" Ruby gasped.

Then a heavy boot hit Ruby in the side of the head, knocking her down and unconscious. May fell with her as the support Ruby provided disappeared, falling to her side, May was able see as a young man with steel-grey hair, pulled Ruby's Scroll from her pocket and tossed it to a short girl with… brown and pink hair?

She looked to Ruby, she tried to reach out for her but everything felt weighed down. _'I'm coming, Ruby. Just hang on. Maybe… my Scroll?'_

"Hurry up Merc, we need to get out of here. Neo, hack that Scroll and get the contact information, we need to hurry. Damn Taurus! Stupid bastard, we had a damn plan!" another girl, one with green hair ranted.

"Let's hurry it up then, Em. It's freezing and I want to get this done." The young man finally said, he looked at May quickly, "What about her?"

May was trying to reach for her Scroll, but, everything was so heavy. She was really tired all of the sudden. _'No, stay awake… you have to… stay awake May. Ruby needs you.'_

"Get movin' Mercury! Neo's in. I have what we need. Neo, deal with her."

May could just barely hear the stamping of feet on pavement, her vision was fading. She managed to look up into a pair of heterochromatic eyes. _'Ruby… I'm… sorry….'_

Then her world went black.


	12. Chapter 12

_**The Broken Huntress: Chapter Twelve** _

"I can't believe you!" Emerald yelled, "It was so simple, just stick to the plan and we all get what we need. What the hell were you thinking!?" she bored her eyes into one Adam Taurus, the Bull Faunus sat on a crate, looking at his Scroll.

"My men are already moving, I suppose you should make your call." He said in a detached tone.

The nerve of this bastard! He wanted that Faunus brat? He should've followed the damn plan! "You knew the plan, Adam. Why did you order your men to move?"

"Because I wished to. Everything will go as planned either way, I am done waiting for your machinations."

"Neo still hasn't broken into the system yet! We needed her to call off the damn Atlesian Air Fleet! This plan doesn't work without that!" Emerald berated him, he damn well knew this!

"Then your little spy should start moving. My men will begin the attack in fifteen minutes."

"Dust damn you, Taurus!" Emerald looked to Neo, "Go! Get it done, I don't care how you do it. We need to keep the Fleet off of us for as long as possible!" Neo gave a condescending smile, nodding, she moved at a decent speed from the warehouse, Scroll in hand as she began going through what systems she was able to.

Emerald sighed, "Mercury, go get some rope to tie up the brat." She pulled her Scroll from her pocket dialing in the new number that Neo sent her from Ruby's Scroll. She waited for it to connect, thankfully it didn't take long.

"Hello?" Was the confused response from the Scroll.

"Hello Miss. Nikos, first off, don't talk, you're just listening right now."

"Who are you?"

"What the hell did I just say Nikos? Don't you recognize your old friends' voice? I helped you make quite the spectacle at the Vytal Tournament, or have you forgotten about destroying that little robot in the finals?"

"Emerald." Pyrrha said quietly, "What do you want?" Her tone was surprisingly dangerous.

"That's simple Nikos, I want the Fall Maiden's powers, which I know you have."

"They aren't something I can just, give away, Emerald. I assume you know this."

"Well you don't need to worry about that," Emerald toyed around with a long-sleeved white glove which bore the symbol of her new mistress. "What you do need to worry about is coming to this location," Emerald sent her the information, "Alone."

"Why would I do that, Miss Sustrai?"

"Because if you don't Ruby Rose will not be having the greatest of days." Emerald grinned in victory at the gasp that came from the other side of the call.

"What have you done to Ruby?" She demanded.

"Nothing yet, but I don't think you want to test me," Emerald bluffed.

Pyrrha was quiet for a moment, "I want proof of life."

"Ruby is just fin-."

"AHHHH!"

Ruby's wails of pain reverberated across the warehouse.

Emerald whipped her head around to see that Adam had drawn his blade and stabbed it into the joint of Ruby's right knee, her uncontrollable thrashing causing her more pain than the blade likely had. "Adam!"

Adam then twisted the blade, Ruby's leg jutted at an unnatural angle as she wailed, and finally falling unconscious. Emerald gaped at the brutal scene, barely registering that Pyrrha was screaming at her from the Scroll.

"-do you want? Let her go and I'll do it!" Pyrrha begged.

Shaken, Emerald rallied herself before speaking, "Come to the location I set you. Come alone or Ruby ends up worse than she already is." Not waiting for a response, Emerald hung up and rushed over to the fallen girl. Mercury had rushed back at the screams, "Merc, grab a medical kit! I have to stop the bleeding!"

Before Emerald got to Ruby, Adam tore his blade out the side of the girl's leg, practically severing it at the knee.

"Shit! Adam what the hell are you doing!?" Emerald dropped to her knees as she looked at the pooling blood and grievous wound.

Lifting a Scroll she didn't notice he was holding, Adam checked it, Emerald briefly noticed that he recorded the horrible scene. "Getting you want you wanted. The little Maiden girl will come for her now. You don't even need her now," Adam gestured with his blade, looking like he was planning to finish the job.

"You've done enough! If Nikos sees that Ruby's dead she'll run! She's useless to me dead!" Emerald hollered.

"Fine. Do it your way. I have what I need, now she won't be able to run, I suppose." Adam lifted his Scroll and began dialing. Mercury rushed in with a medical kit and got to work on a bandage and a tourniquet.

"Crazy bastard." Mercury muttered. Emerald had to agree. Killing someone was one thing, but torturing them was another entirely. And the light grin she had noticed let her know he had enjoyed it.

"Hello, Yang." Adam said with a smug tone as Emerald and Mercury worked to stop the bleeding. "You don't know my voice but you probably remember my blade. You wear an interesting reminder on your stump of an arm."

_'The guy's insane.'_

"Now Yang, you seem to have taken something that doesn't belong to you. I want her back."

_'Oh, Dust. He ruined our plans because the Bimbo and the Faunus were a thing? He did this to a kid because of that?'_

"Now Yang," Adam began walking from the warehouse, "You are going to bring me Blake to this location. And you better be quick. I just sent you a little… insurance. Hurry, or I'll keep going. You won't like what I do next." Then Adam left the warehouse all together.

Everything was silent except for the quiet whimpering of the unconscious girl, Mercury merciless in finishing the bandages.

"That guy is insane." Emerald finally said.

"Yeah, no shit." Mercury said sarcastically.

"He freakin' recorded this!" gesturing at Ruby's ruined leg.

"… Dust."

"Yeah." Emerald sighed again as she stood, "Come on, let's get set up. Who knows when Nikos will show up?"

"She's not."

Emerald's eyes widened at the gravelly voice. Before she could do anything, Mercury was launched across the room by a strong leg and she was batted around by the flat of a massive greatsword. She hit the wall with enough force to crack it, she could already feel her Aura waning from the first hit. But before she couldn't do anything, the greatsword raked across her front, shattering what was left of her Aura. A knee to her stomach had down and gasping for breath.

She could feel her revolvers being pulled from their holsters and tossed away, barely able to look up she saw Qrow Branwen, his white and grey jacket matted with blood that wasn't his. _'I'm not bleeding, am I?'_ She confirmed she wasn't when no blood seemed to fall from her. He turned his back on her and rushed to Ruby's side. He knelt down and looked at her leg, "Oh, Ruby…"

His voice almost broke it was filled with so much emotion. He raised his blade instinctively, covering himself and Ruby. A sound like a gong went through the warehouse as Mercury tried to bring an ax kick down on the Huntsman's head. Qrow flipped almost onto his back and kicked Mercury again, sending him a small distance from Ruby. Qrow stood and stepped between Ruby and Mercury, "Alright you little punk. I'm not in the mood. You let me make this quick and I don't kill you."

The timbre in his voice suggested that he was entirely serious about his threat. Emerald watched as Mercury faltered in is battle stance, glancing between herself and Qrow.

"We didn't do that to Ruby." Mercury tried.

"Don't care, kid. Clock's ticking."

She watched as a number of emotions crossed Mercury's face. Fear, Anger, helplessness; just to name a few. He then launched himself forward and tried to take on the Huntsman. It was a hopeless fight form the start. Qrow was just that much better than them. Had they had the jump him, maybe they could've… what was she thinking? They couldn't beat Qrow Branwen.

Kick after kick was thrown at the Huntsman, every hit was blocked with almost condescending ease. The older man barely missed a step when Mercury tried to bring his Semblance to bear. The white fire flowing and ricocheting off the walls, floor, and ceiling; Qrow managed to avoid or deflect it all.

Mercury actually stumbled in a small crater made by his own Semblance. Then Qrow ripped his blade through Mercury, shattering his Aura as his blade sliced his legs clean off below the knee. Qrow halted for a moment seemingly staring at the sparking ends of Mercury's prosthetics. Qrow finally walked up to the fallen assassin…

…and knocked him out with a kick to the face.

"Hmm, lucky, punk." Qrow practically growled. He then hurried back to Ruby to check on her leg once again, after he seemed content that she was alright for now he looked back to Emerald. "Where is Adam Taurus?"

"I-I don't know. He didn't say where he went." Emerald rasped, her breath still coming with difficulty.

"Don't lie to me, girl!"

"I don't know! All I know is he wants the Cat Faunus! I don't know where he went, he's trying to bait her and the Bi- Yang!"

Qrow's eyes widened as he grabbed his Scroll, while he was waiting for a call to go through, he was bundling his cape into a pillow for Ruby, and he gently placed it under her head as he answered the call. "Pyrrha? Yeah, I know. I got her. Ruby's going to be okay. You stay hidden, _She_ might've sent someone else incase whatever… this was didn't work… You can help by not getting yourself killed! Stay with your team and Glynda until the General calls you, understand?" He hung up and started another call, "Dammit Yang, pick up… pick up, Firecracker…"

"Dammit!" He hollered, only just keeping his Scroll in hand. He typed something quickly and made another call, "James, I need a medivac. Ruby's in rough shape. She needs medical attention and I can't move her the way she is… yeah… I got Sustrai and Black. They aren't going anywhere, I'll bring 'em in when someone can get Ruby. James, Yang isn't answering her Scroll and she's gone after Taurus. I don't know where she is… alright. And James, has someone picked up the other girl? May?"

Emerald knew where the blood was from now.

"Alright, Thanks Jim." He finally put his Scroll away and began brushing his fingers through Ruby's hair, Emerald wanted to look away from the scene but couldn't out of sheer fear of what the Huntsman might do if she looked away, she was more startled animal than person now.

She jolted when he spoke again, "Better get comfortable, Sustrai, you're not going anywhere."

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang was seeing red. She flew down the roads at a breakneck speed, Blake wrapping her arms tightly around her. The embrace would soothe her at any time other than now.

Not after that video she saw.

Ruby's screams were like an icicle being driven into her gut and up into her chest. Everything was just white noise after what she saw, what that… that monster could do to her if she didn't get there as soon as possible. She would kill him. He didn't just maim her sister… he tortured her, made her scream and cry. Not even able to beg for it to stop.

She would make him bleed before the end.

She ignored her Scroll as it rung. She wouldn't be able to answer it anyways. She couldn't afford to stop. Blake's words of comfort blew past her as fast as the wind on her face. The tears in her eyes from the wind or the fact she couldn't protect her baby sister, she didn't know; she didn't care either. All that mattered was saving Ruby and making Adam pay.

She stopped the bike and almost mechanically dismounted, Blake barely got off to follow her, and Blake grabbed her arm and pulled. Hard.

"What, Blake!? There isn't time! I have to save Ruby!" Yang yelled, she didn't even notice her voice was broken from holding in her sobs.

"We'll get her back Yang. I can't let you go in there like this. I won't watch him hurt you again." Blake was clearly determined.

"Like he hurt Ruby? I don't have time for this," Yang choked back a sob, "You saw what he did to her, he… her leg…" Blake wrapped in a firm embrace, Yang couldn't even bring her arms up.

"Yang, check your Scroll. You need to breathe. Please, we'll do this. But you need to get your head straight, please, for me." Blake pulled back and held her by the shoulders.

Yang took a shaky breath and pulled her Scroll from her jacket. "Uncle Qrow called me, like, three times. He…" _'Oh, thank you Uncle.'_ "He has Ruby. He says she's gonna be okay." She pulled Blake back into an embrace, she kissed Blake on the cheek and just held her for a moment, catching her breath.

Finally calmed down, Yang pulled back, she could feel that the red in her eyes was gone, her lilacs bursting through in the moment of clarity. "I almost did it again." Yang shook her head, "I lost it again; the bastard almost had me again."

Blake cupped cheek fondly, "But he didn't. We're okay and now he has nothing. We don't have to do this, Yang." She listened to Blake, she wasn't telling her to stop; she was giving her the choice. And Yang knew that no matter what, Blake would be by her side. Gods, she loved this woman.

"No. We can't wait. If he gets away he'll just try again, that guy is insane. And… I need to do this Blake. I, I don't know if I can really move on completely if he's out there waiting. I won't let him hurt anyone ever again."

Blake looked into her eyes for a moment, then, she smiled minutely, "Alright. I with you, Yang."

She nodded and turned around, looking towards where the information had said to go. In hindsight, Yang should have called for backup, Weiss at least. But if they waited too long for help, Adam might run. Yang knew he couldn't hurt Ruby again. Their uncle was with her, and he wouldn't leave Ruby defenseless. So they were on their own. But it reminded her of something.

"Blake. Ruby was with May today." She felt a chill go down her spine, "Where's May?"

Blake pulled her Scroll out and tried calling the young woman, Blake's expression fell until she finally put her Scroll away, "She isn't answering." Blake said quietly. She typed another message before pocketing her Scroll.

She had to fight the tears as she looked back towards the Industrial District buildings that were their destination. The pair pressed on, the multitude of warehouses all looking identical aside from designation numbers engraved on the sides. Finally, they came across the building that had been chosen by Adam. It was obvious now that it was a trap. Yang took hear that she knew Ruby was safe and that Adam couldn't touch. With that in mind, she boldly opened the door and walked in, Ember Celica unfurling upon her wrists with a soothing shift of metal.

_~~YBYB~~_

Weiss' Glyphs burst to life around her. She came out strong, gliding across the pavement as she struck out at the White Fang grunts that were cropping up around the city. _'Why would they attack now? We're still on high-alert, even they should have seen the stupidity of this.'_ Weiss only needed to take a glance to see that the response to the attack was almost perfect. Atlas soldiers and Paladin Mechs were on the scene with a ruthless efficiency that surprised her.

There shouldn't have even been this many troops here though. Most of them were supposed to already have been holed up in with the Atlesian Air Fleet, which Weiss noted was returning on the horizon, likely not even needed at this point.

She started for a second when one of the older prototype Paladins barreled onto her street, surprising another of the clearly newer version Paladins in a reckless melee.

Weiss heard her Scroll go off, taking a moment to back up she stared at the message that came from Blake.

_*Weiss, Ruby's been hurt. Yang and I are going after Adam. Can't let him get away. Industrial District section D-12. Hurry.*_

She stilled for only a moment. At least she thought she did. She didn't notice her rapier shaking in her left hand. Placing her scroll back in her pouch she glared at the old Paladin. Her Summon Glyph appeared I the air beside her, the sound it made would probably be akin to hole being torn in space and time. Her Silent Knight shot from the Glyph like a bullet from a gun, its blue-white form blurred with the speed that it crashed into the old mech. The Knight drew back its blade and bisected the Paladin, only just missing the pilot inside as the suit failed.

Weiss didn't say a word. She rushed back into the fray.

Section D-12 of the Industrial District was beyond those in front of her.

_~~YBYB~~_

Blake followed Yang without hesitation. Gambol Shroud resting in her hands, the cleaver in one and her katana in the other.

"I messaged Weiss. Hopefully she can get here with help before long." She said. Yang nodded without looking back as she trekked on.

There was light in the building, surprisingly. Enough that she knew Yang would be able to see by, that was all that mattered on that front. What was more important was the fact that Adam was waiting for them, sitting in a simple chair at the center of the massive room. He looked towards her, "Hello, my darling."

There was something… off about how he was speaking. A tremble that she hadn't heard before. It wasn't fear, that much she was sure of, the way he sat in the chair, his posture… it all screamed barely controlled fury.

Though, barely controlled fury was representative of Yang at the moment. Muscles coiled like a King Taijitu ready to strike.

"Where's Ruby?" She called out. It was better to play him, let him think they didn't know he had nothing.

Adam stood from his chair slowly, his sword arm nowhere near drawing his blade, "Oh, you mean the red one?" he looked Yang in the eyes, as well as he could while wearing that Grimm mask, "I killed her. Gutted her like a stuck pig." He grinned maliciously, "She begged to die before I ended her miserable little life." Adam held up a familiar rose pendant, her eyes widened slightly, "I decided I would take a keepsake. Something to remind me of my mission."

She felt a sliver of dread as Adam gazed back her, "I told you, my darling. I would destroy everything you loved." His hand went to his blade, "And I will finish what I started."

There was silence after Adam's speech. He seemed to be perplexed by the lack of reaction from either of them. "What's the matter, unable to move because I gutted your little sister?" Adam tried to goad, "Or did you not love her enough?"

She looked at Yang, ready to jump in if she needed to. Yang was trembling, but her silence was deafening to Blake.

"You really are a monster, aren't you?" Yang said quietly.

Blake watched on while Adam smirked.

"You… You're part of the reason that so many Humans hate Faunus. You don't deserve to be called a Faunus. You're just a wild animal… And I'm going to put you down."

Adam's demeanor changed then, he wasn't trying to project calm anymore. He was angry.

"How dare you, you little slut!" Adam roared, charging at Yang. The blonde was barely able to escape the first strike, his blade sparking along the Yang's gauntlets. Blake rushed forward to get in a hit but Adam backed off, pushing himself off of Yang's gauntlets. Yang wasn't about to give up this backpedal as she rushed him herself, getting inside his guard and keeping him from using his sword to any effect.

Blake charged in as well, seeing that even though Yang was stopping Adam from striking, she couldn't land a solid hit herself. Things started to go in their favor as she worked alongside her partner. Adam was back stepping, trying to put some distance between them. He got his chance as he nearly backed into a pillar but pirated around it and gave himself a barrier. Then in a flash, Adam was on Blake, landing strike after strike along her own blade as she tried to keep him at bay, she replaced herself with a clone just as he broke her guard and eviscerated the clone.

He pressed, she was doing everything she could to keep out of his grasp. Clones flashed in and out of existence as quick as she could make them. She wasn't even thinking at this point. Her survival instincts and muscle memory all that kept her from the bite of Adam's blade.

Yang came in low from the side, landing a solid hit to his ribs, but Adam took it in stride and grabbed Yang's arm, throwing her into Blake as she was landing. Yang managed to right herself in mid-air and began to launch rounds at Adam, he dodged most of them while catching others with his blade, causing it and his hair to glow with power.

"What the hell just happened?" Yang yelled as she saw the action.

"He absorbs kinetic energy!" She formed a clone in front of herself, springing off its back, avoiding another ruthless strike, "He channels it through his blade, then he can launch it back at his opponents." Blake was trying to give the baseline of his powers as he mercilessly came at them.

"That would have been great to know before I started shooting him!" Yang bellowed as she tried to keep in close, using Ember Celica to intercept his blade before he could build any moment in his hits. The clang of metal ringing almost painfully in Blake's ears.

 _'Come on, Blake, think! He's too fast to hit him in here.'_ Blake took a quick glance around the room as Yang tried to hold Adam off. Then she saw her idea… or more of a suicidal gambit. She switched out for one of her elemental magazines in her pistol.

"Yang, the pillars!" Blake charged in and gave it her all, using her clones in tandem with the customized Dust Rounds that Weiss had given her. Yang backed off, seemingly understanding what Blake wanted. Blake rushed in before Adam could capitalize on Yang disengaging, protecting Yang by forming a Stone Clone midair, knocking his sword off course. She went in close, a Fire Clone fading into existence as she skimmed just overtop of Adam, the clone exploding as it crashed into him. Blake turned and wrapped her arms around his chest, then formed an Ice Clone to trap him in place. Blake's tactic was working well, Adam had never seen her do something like this and it showed in his poor response. She could hear Yang firing shells at an insane rate, the crumbling of concrete heavy in the air.

The building began to groan from the strain Yang was causing it. Adam saw what was happening, but couldn't move because of the ice stop Yang. Adam struggled in the ice, shattering it before Blake could do anything else as the building began to collapse around them, slabs of concrete shattering on the floor as it fell from the unsupported ceiling.

Blake was stunned as a decent sized chuck crashed into her shoulder, she thought she heard something crack at the contact, but that wasn't as important as Adam readying to bisect her down the middle.

Then the roof fell on top of Adam.

Blake was thrown from her feet as a blonde blur crashed into her, covering her with their own body. Pieces of the ceiling continued to fall for a short time before the pattering of rocks was all that was left. It was dark underneath her protector, Yang groaned as she managed to lift herself, as well as the small pile of rubble that had landed atop them in Blake's insane plan.

"Blake? Oww, can we, never, drop a building on ourselves again? That kinda hurt." Yang whined.

"Yang, you've been punched through concrete pillars thicker than cars. How did this hurt you?" Blake asked as she stood, helping Yang as well. Wincing at the sharp spike of pain through her left shoulder, _'Yep, that's broken.'_

"Just because I can take it, doesn't mean it hurts any less, Kitten." Blake noticed that Yang favoring her right side as she stood in front of her.

Looking around what was left of the building Blake could see that Yang had done a number on it. The entire ceiling had fallen in, and the walls were now free-standing, the uppermost portions already torn down with the ceiling. Clouds of debris filled the air, making it a small challenge to breathe.

"You think he's dead?" Blake looked from Yang to the pile of concrete that Adam had been buried under.

"I… wouldn't hold my breath." Blake tensed slightly as she noticed a crimson glow from the debris.

Then, with a crack that sounded like a gun, the pile of concrete blasted outwards, Adam moving faster than Blake could track. She knew he was coming, _'Moonslice!'_ then Yang was in front of her, gauntlets up in a cross guard.

It all happened so fast.

The blur of red as his Semblance attack crashed into Yang, the sound of her Aura shattering under the immense kinetic force that Adam must have absorbed from the collapsing roof. Then there was the rending of metal, as Adam's blade sheared through Yang's defense. The abrupt hit from Yang being thrown back into her and the feeling of weightlessness as they flew through the air.

Blake felt an arm wrap around her middle and a body hug her close as they must have crashed through what was left of one of the walls. They bounced and tumbled as the wall they passed through fell outright.

In a daze, Blake tried to sit up, dizziness keeping her from doing much of anything. She looked to her left and saw Yang on the ground, trying to force herself to stand. A small pool of blood was forming underneath her as she did so, Blake then noticed that Yang's new prosthetic and Ember Celica had been cut clean through. Her second gauntlet fared better, but only just. The gauntlet had a large gouge in it, a small trickle of blood seeping from it, like the weapon itself was bleeding from the wounds Yang was suffering.

Then she was drawn to the heavy steps as Adam practically stumbled from the ruined building. His mask shattered, his maddening eyes blazing, the dark brown made them look like black pools of hate focused on the wounded pair. The blood that fell freely around an open wound in his head only added to the malevolence of it all.

Blake couldn't make her body move, and Yang wasn't much better as she still hadn't gotten further than her knees, the blonde was gasping as she glared at the Faunus marching unsteadily towards them.

"You were mine, Blake. You ARE MINE! No one else can have you, I'm going to destroy them Blake! Your team, Humankind, and I'll make you watch as I cut up that blonde bitch piece by pi-."

A shot cracked through the air as Adam stumbled back. Blake saw the disbelief in his eyes as all of the sudden, Yang roared with a burst of energy and shot forward, landing a crushing blow with her remaining fist; sending all of the energy that had been just thrown at her back at Adam. His Aura clearly spent as it couldn't muster a defense. Yang's fist collided with his sword arm as it was brought up in a weakened block, Blake could clearly hear bones shatter as first his arm was hit. His arm bent unnaturally as it crashed into his own chest, more bones were pulverized as he was launched back into the ruined building, collapsing another wall as he went.

Gasping heavily, standing frozen for a far too long heartbeat, Yang finally collapsed, unable to move another muscle as she lied on her front, breathing heavily.

Blake finally closed her eyes as exhaustion took her, the dull thrum of engines on the edge of her mind….

 

CS.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted chapter 11 through 13 just now. Epilogue will be up a little later.

**_The Broken Huntress: Chapter Thirteen_ **

"Wow, Ruby, you are a beast with that scythe! I didn't stand a chance, did I?" May complimented her as they walked down the street. Ruby hardly noticed that the sun was already beginning to set.

"Aw, don't be like that, May! You aren't a close range fighter. You are still amazing though, your Semblance is so cool! I had trouble pegging you down, all those tight turns really messed with my momentum," She said excitedly before rubbing her shoulder at the faint pain there, "And you gave as good as you got May, we were both in the red by the time I won!"

Ruby blushed a faintly as May threw an arm around her shoulders as they walked, her blush getting worse as May rubbed her arm affectionately, "Fair enough, Little Rose. Thanks for the ego-boost."

"I'm really, really glad I met you May." Ruby said quietly.

May seemed a little surprised, "Me too, but what brought this up?"

Ruby shrugged, "Just want you to know that I appreciate you, I suppose." She leaned into May's side dramatically, "Ugh, I'm so tired!" May chuckled at her antics as she looked up pleadingly, "Can I have backrub when you take me home?" she whined. _'You are so good at them.'_

It was so surprising how well May just got her. May knew when to be cheeky, or when to be serious. It was like a game to see who would stumble first, just so they could laugh about later.

It was a little scary how quick she was falling for this girl.

May feigned disinterest, to the rest of the world, thinking heavily about her request for a few, terribly long, seconds. She put out her best puppy pout for May, even a couple of tears to finish the look. She knew how adorkable she was being. "Well… I suppose so." May said in a mock exasperated tone.

She had May wrapped around her little, cute fingers.

"But after you gotta-."

"May?" Ruby gasped, staring at the blade that had forced itself through May's chest. May looked down at the thin blade in shock trying to say something as it was pulled from her body. Ruby moved to grab May as she fell, "May!"

"R-Ruby." May answered with a slur.

Ruby looked back at their assailant, gasping in shock, "Torchwick?" _'But, I him watched die!'_

She felt a sharp pain in the side of her head and everything went dark.

_~~YBYB~~_

She heard voices. They were speaking in hushed tones, maybe so she could sleep, maybe? Why was she sleeping again? She tried to open her eyes and groaned when the light hurt her eyes. Everyone quieted down except for one.

"Rubes? Ruby it's me, Yang. Take your time. You're safe now, okay?"

Safe? Why would that matter? She tried to remember what was going on. Her leg throbbed, she tried wiggling her toes but it didn't do much of anything. She was out sparring with May, they were on their way back when…

"May!" She cried out hoarsely.

"Shh, it's okay, Little Rose. I've got you." She heard the raspy but familiar voice, then the hand that grasped at hers weakly. Ruby managed to open her eyes to see a pair of red-rimmed, steel-blue orbs gazing at her.

"May…" she sobbed.

May grinned weakly, leaning over in the overstuffed chair that must have been brought in for her, "Wow, Ruby, we almost die and your first word after you wake is my name?" May gave a wheezy chuckle, "You're gonna start giving me ideas, Rose."

She sobbed, "Oh, May… I thought, I saw-." Her breath hitched.

May squeezed her hand, "It's okay. I'm okay." May assured.

Ruby just nodded, closing her eyes, taking some calming breaths to help stop the tears that went from fearful to joyful. Opening her eyes, Ruby took in May's appearance. The young huntress looked worse for wear, but, the clearly relieved expression on her face was doing much for Ruby's concerns. Though, her eyes widened at the heavy bandages wrapped around May's chest, recalling exactly why she needed them.

"May! Why aren't you in bed?" She chastised.

"I wanted to be here when you woke up, Ruby. I wanted to be here for you." May's concerned expression gave Ruby pause.

"What do you mean? I'm fine. Just-"

"Ruby."

She looked up at her father, gently he interrupted her. Ruby looked around the room then and really took it in. The rest of her team was there. Weiss looked the picture of cool and collected, like always… except that Ruby noticed she was hiding a distressed expression underneath her cool façade.

Blake and Yang sat side-by-side. The Cat Faunus had one of her arms secured to her chest in a brace, a number of bandages covered what were likely small injuries, bruising was evident as well. Her sister, Yang, was in just as bad of shape as Blake was. Bruising and bandages littered her entire body wear she could see. And the fact that her prosthetic was missing was now a jarring sight.

Her uncle stood against the wall, back from the group a ways but still, he glanced her way every few moments while taking swigs from his flask. Emotions she wasn't used to seeing in her uncles face flashed across it whenever he tried to look her in the eye.

And her father. His emotions were worn on his arms like they were wont to be sometimes. But just like everyone else in the room, she seemed to see one emotion.

Regret.

"What's wrong?" She finally asked.

Her dad tried to start but, it seemed to be a difficult thing for him to say. Everyone in the room seemed to have a look of realization though, but Ruby had no idea why.

"Rubes." Yang said, getting her attention. "You were hurt. You were hurt really bad, sis." Yang reached out with her one hand and took one of Ruby's, she could faintly hear some beeping get a little faster, "It's bad. Rubes, but, you're going to be fine. Okay. I promise, we're all here for you."

Ruby looked around the room in confusion, settling on May, "What's she talking about?" she turned back to Yang, not waiting for an answer, "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Yang squeezed her hand. "You got hurt… Like I did. Back at Beacon."

A cold feeling hit her in the chest. "What? No, I'm fine just… look…" Ruby finally looked at herself. Everything seemed fine, really. Aside from the throbbing in her right leg, nothing seemed amiss. But looking closely, she could tell that her right leg was not where it should be, the outline underneath the blanket only went to around her knee. Trying to wiggle her foot was simply the final straw when nothing moved. Her eyes blurred and that damn beeping got louder and faster.

Then her face was being grabbed and she was face to face with May. The older girl was pressing her forehead against her own. Ruby could see both of May's steely blue orbs clearly, even though her eyes seemed to be blurring everything else.

"May, my leg…" May just nodded.

"I know, Little Rose. Just listen to me. Listen to my voice. Come on, breathe with me." May drew in a deep breath and very gently let it out. The breath felt cool against Ruby's face. She tried to follow May as she kept breathing, but she wasn't quite able to do it.

"There you go, Rose. Just keep doing that. In," a deep inhale, "and out." Cool breath.

Ruby hardly noticed as her uncle quickly moved to the rooms' door as it was abruptly opened. She could tell he was talking quickly with whoever was there. Eventually, he came back from the door, whatever was happening there dealt with for now. All Ruby paid attention to was May's face so close to her own.

"There," May pulled back gently, not letting go of Ruby's face, "Just keep breathing. Just don't look right now, okay? Just keep looking at me." May gently ordered.

With a few hiccups, Ruby gave a tentative nod, blinking away what she knew were tears. With a deep, but shaky breath, she tried to keep calm. "What happened?" she asked aloud to the room. No one spoke for a moment, but finally, with a sigh Qrow was the one to start things off.

"Well, kid. Far as I can tell, Adam Taurus jumped the gun on a plan with Emerald and Mercury; Cinder's team."

"But, why? What plan?" she shook her head, "I don't know what's going on!" Raising her voice. She calmed down when May gently massaged her hand. "Sorry, Uncle Qrow."

"No, it's alright, pipsqueak. I'll try and explain it all, okay? Just, let me get through it." When she nodded, he went on.

"Okay, before we get anywhere else, I need to give you a quick rundown on some pretty important stuff. It's better if I tell you now because I know you'll find out sooner than later. What I'm about to tell you is a closely guarded secret, one that you will have to protect if I tell you. So, who wants to leave? This is your chance."

Ruby glance around the room and watched as everyone firmly planted themselves where they were, Taiyang sighed before quietly saying, "I don't like this, Qrow."

"I know Tai, but they are getting into the thick of it because of who's around them."

"I know, I know." Tai sighed.

With another pull from his flask, Qrow capped said flask before he settled himself against the wall.

"So, what's your favorite fairy tale?"

_~~YBYB~~_

"…So, Pyrrha is one these… Maidens?" Yang finally said.

"Yeah, that's right. Near as we can tell, when I…" Qrow faltered for a moment, sighing, "When I killed Cinder Fall, enough of the Maidens Power had been drawn into Pyrrha beforehand. So when Cinder fell, the power was able to go straight to her, instead of whoever Cinder may have thought of in the end – thankfully."

"And this… Salem, this person wants the power of the Maidens?" Weiss clarified.

"That, and much more. But for now, this is all you need to know, it's safer that way." Qrow said, before Weiss could argue he held his hand up, "I'll tell you all the rest later. I've already risked too much talking about this here. Once Ruby's out of the hospital, and we can get somewhere private, I'll fill you in, alright?" Weiss acquiesced with a nod.

"Ruby, are you okay to keep going? Or do you want to stop?" Taiyang asked her.

Ruby shook her head, "No, but I need to know, dad. I just want to get this done with right now while I can still think." Tai sighed but nodded, urging Qrow to keep going.

"Alright," Qrow said, "pretty much the gist of it is that Emerald and Mercury were here to try and take the Maidens Power from Pyrrha. And from what I've gathered from what everyone's been saying, Adam was here for her." He pointed at Blake, "He has some sort of fixation with her. And he was willing to work with them to get to her. I guess he wasn't happy when he saw that Blake here had moved on to better things, made him sloppy. And he jumped ahead on their timetable because of it."

"But wait, how do you even know that's what happened, Qrow?" Yang interrupted.

"Because, Yang, a couple of weeks ago someone who was working on the inside came forward as an informant. With the agreement of their criminal record being wiped clean; and avoiding any casualties, they would help us get Emerald, Mercury and Adam, as well as his entire chapter of the White Fang. I…" Qrow went quiet. Everyone stared at him while he pulled his flask again,

"I didn't know they would go for you, Ruby. Not even our inside man knew. It all happened too quickly. We were ready to jump down their throats and end this before it could even start." He sighed again, "I'm so sorry, Ruby."

It was a lot to take in. everything that had happened was so fast, "I…" she closed her eyes and squeezed Mays' hand, the girl having refused to move, especially with how things had been going, "I don't blame you Uncle Qrow, please don't think that I do. But… what, what happened to… him?"

Everyone in the room knew who "him" was. But it was Yang who answered her, "He's… not dead if that's what you're asking, Rubes."

"So what happened, then?"

"After you were taken he… he baited me and Blake to come looking for him. We found him, we fought, and we won – barely." Yang shook her stump comically, "As you can see, he did a number on me and Blake. But I did worse to him in the end." She finished.

"What she means, Ruby," Blake took over, "is that she put him in a coma. From what I understand, she just… broke something in his head. His brain didn't get enough oxygen and he wouldn't wake up. On top of that, when she hit him, it was with enough force to destroy almost half of his body. Even if he woke up – which the doctors honestly say will probably never happen – he would never be able to hurt another person ever again."

"They'll probably pull the plug if he doesn't respond to anything." Weiss added, "The Atlas and Vale Councils want him to stand trial, but, chances are slim that can ever happen. It's more than he deserves if you ask me." Weiss said with clear disdain.

Looking around the room, the redhead was disturbingly torn. The thought of truly hating someone was a foreign concept. Unable to say with certainty that she'd ever felt that way before. But looking around the room, she couldn't see a single person who hadn't been affected by the things that Adam Taurus has done; herself included. She only had to look at what was left of her leg. She was unsure if she should thankful that she couldn't remember how it had happened. But it reminded her of something important.

"May?"

"Yeah, Ruby?"

"How… how are you still-?"

"-still here, and not… somewhere else?" it seemed May couldn't finish the thought either.

"Yeah."

"Well," May looked around the room for help, "I don't know how I lived. From where I was standing, I probably shouldn't be talking now. But I woke up on the street, and your uncle was there, kneeling over me and calling for a medevac." Ruby looked to her uncle who nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I found her first. Doctors say she was lucky; that whoever stabbed her missed. But, based on the fact that they also found a numbing agent that will slow down a person's heartrate to the point of near-death… I'd say that our inside man made ensure May could survive that mess."

"Who was it? All I remember was seeing Roman Torchwick, but… that was Emerald, wasn't it?" Qrow agreed that was probably what she saw. Then May spoke up.

"She had pink and brown hair."

"Neo!?" Yang half shouted, "How? Why? She was working with Cinder and Torchwick form the beginning!"

"Well, you're not wrong Yang, not entirely at least." Qrow replied. "Neo was working with Torchwick. From what I know, Neo and him go – went – way back. Helped her out of some tight spots. Roman was her friend, I suppose. And it was because Cinder coerced him into working with them that got him killed."

_"It's not what I have to gain. It's that I can't afford to lose."_

The words rung in Ruby's head with a whole new perspective. It made sad when she came to her conclusion. "Cinder threatened them, didn't she?" she asked quietly.

"That's right," Qrow said, "Cinder threatened to take one of the only things that mattered from Roman Torchwick, and that, was Neopolitan."

"Wow." Yang said after a silence fell over the room. "That… that really sucks."

"And Neo decided to get revenge against those directly responsible for his death. Cinder was already gone, so her lackeys were all that were left." Qrow finished.

"Where is she now, Qrow?" Tai asked for the group.

"I couldn't tell you, I don't know. But if I were to guess, she's probably taken advantage of her newly acquired amnesty in the Kingdom of Vale and run off to plant some new roots. It's probably best not to think about it." Tai grumbled at the lacking answer.

Ruby continued to listen attentively for a while longer. While everyone recounted different parts of the events that led to her being in the hospital. But finally, she was just too tired to keep going.

"Listen, I think I need to get some rest. Can we talk about more of this stuff later?" She half-pleaded.

"Of course, Ruby." Her father said with a smile but genuine smile. "I'm… so glad you're okay."

"Yeah, thanks, dad."

Everyone was getting up to leave. But Ruby squeezed May's hand al the tighter when she made to stand, "Please stay, May?" Ruby looked to her sister, "Could you wait for a few minutes, sis?"

The two girls in question locked eyes before turning back to Ruby with quiet affirmatives. Yang with a kiss to Blake's temple and a hug for her father and uncle, she sat down again at the opposite side of the bed from May, who a gratefully fallen back into her massively stuffed chair. The room was quiet now, except for the damn heart monitor that wouldn't stop.

Ruby lay there, thinking of what she was wanting say. How does someone ask what she wanted? Yang though, she seemed to know the entire time what it was she needed.

"Ruby." Yang stared off gently, "I know what you want to ask, and yes. This is how I felt after everything began to settle. I was lost, confused, angry, sad, and so much more I don't know the words for it." Ruby stared into her sister's eyes, they were glistening with tears. "I'm not going to lie to you Ruby. This is going to change your life. But it doesn't have to stop you from becoming who you want to be. It didn't stop me." Ruby quirked her lips at Yang as she once again flailed her stump like it was a new toy.

"But how did you do it, sis? It's…" she stared at the spot where her leg should have been. But slowly, her eyes tracked up the bed until she saw where it ended in reality, just above where her knee should have. "…It's really hard, Yang."

Ruby saw the understanding in Yang's eyes, "I know, little sister. But you're strong. So strong that I can't believe it some days." Yang brushed her fingers through Ruby's hair affectionately, "But I wasn't alone. I had Blake. Ironwood helped me with my arm, and Weiss; everyone… I had you, Ruby."

Ruby looked to May as she also brushed a hand through her hair, "That's right, Ruby. You have all of them with you too. And I'll be here every step of the way."

Ruby was quiet for a while, then she began laughing hysterically. At her companions' looks of concern, she tried to get herself under control, "You-you said, every step of the way! I'm sorry, I just had to laugh or I might cry."

"You don't have to hold it in, Ruby. It's okay. You're okay." May assured.

But Ruby shook her head, "No, May. I'm not okay. But," She looked her sister in the eyes. "I will be." She said resolutely.

Yang beamed a smile almost blindingly bright.

The tears began to fall then, but surprisingly, they weren't tears of grief. They were tears of a future to still be had. True, her life wouldn't ever be the same. But then she wouldn't ever truly grow. It might not have been how she would have wanted things to go, but, she looked from her sister to the woman that she knew she was falling hard for.

"Will you stay with me? Until I fall asleep?"

May smiled gently, "I'll be here when you wake up, Little Rose." She leaned in to kiss Ruby squarely on the lips.

Life could have given her worse hands to deal with.

_~~YBYB~~_

She watched the three young women through the window. She watched the smiles and the kissing with a small smile of her own.

She was actually glad that she hadn't killed any of the three women now.

Neo stood with impeccable posture as she raised her scroll to eye level, reading off the information that General Ironwood had sent to one of her alias' accounts. Without a word, she walked to the edge of the building that she stood on and dropped from the building, letting her parasol drop her at a just gentle enough rate to avoid injury.

_'Now, where do I go from here? Vale? No. Vacuo? Far too hot for my tastes. Staying here is a horrid plan. Oh, why am I even asking myself? Roman always said: Mistral was the next step up the ladder of the criminal underworld.'_

Neo grinned to herself as she walked along, parasol protecting her from a light dusting of snow as it gently fell around her, _'It's time to show the people of Mistral how a real criminal works.'_

_~~YBYB~~_

Qrow sat as he listened to Glynda and Ironwood flirt – discuss their next plan of action. It had been two weeks since Ruby's injury. Already the little spitfire was through the surgery for her new leg. Smiling to himself as he recalled her demands for it to be red and steel-blue. The colors clashed in the strangest way, but it was what she wanted. Well, at least after she was convinced that engraving May Zedong's emblem into it was not something she should do.

She had simply said she'd need an upgrade one day.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood as the elevator door opened behind him. No one but the three in this room should have access to the codes.

In a flash, Qrow as standing along with his two comrades staring down a… boy bundled for the weather, a multicolored scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face, which was pulled down to reveal a freckled visage. The boy's hands went up in surrender as he looked at the three of them. But Qrow could just feel that the boy was no threat to them.

"Who are you? And how did you get in here?" James demanded of the boy.

The boy got a strange look on his face before he muttered, seemingly to himself, "Shut up I'm getting there!" Qrow quirked his brow as the pieces began to fall into place.

Oh, Jimmie was not going to be happy with him in a few seconds. Neither was Glynda for that matter.

"My name is Oscar Pine, and I'm supposed to tell you," then the kid looked right at him, and so did the rest of the room. Great. "That I'd like my cane back?"

Glynda and James had similarly surprised expressions as he sighed, pulling out an object that he had had on his person since he saw the battlefield that ended one of his friends. "It's good to see you again, Oz." He tossed the item to the boy, then he seemed to instinctively activate the mechanism for an oh-so familiar cane.

_'It's time to get back to work I guess.'_

 

CS.


	14. Chapter 14

_**The Broken Huntress: Epilogue** _

She felt calm. Her eyes kept closed as she waited in the clearing surrounded by lush trees. She flexed her hands, feeling her fingers loosen on her left hand and heard the light tap of metal from her right. The clearing was almost too silent. Still she waited.

The blonde's eyes snapped open as two of her opponents burst from the trees at an impressive speed. _'For a couple of kids.'_

Taking evasive action, Yang began to weave between the strikes of her adversaries, giving some solid finger jabs at any openings the pair gave her. Said opponents were two kids, no older than fifteen. The first was a boy, wearing a light-brown leather jacket and pants. He attacked with an acrobatic ferocity, dual wielding a pair of tomahawks. Using the momentum from his missed strikes to roll into spin kicks, making himself a whirlwind of constant strikes. His burnt orange cat tail moving along in his fluid motions.

Her other opponent was another story.

It was a girl, similar in age to the boy ferociously striking at the blonde. She wore an abundance of red and black all of which appear to be designed for combat in mind with armor woven into the fabric. She wore a red bandanna around her neck, her silver eyes gleaming in delight as she raised her rifle.

Yang weaved through the rounds with ease, slowing herself down to the point that the pair could track her movements. It simply wouldn't be fair if she didn't give them a chance.

"Keep moving Taja, or I'll make you regret it!" launching shells from Ember Celica, the girl yelped as she bound back and away from the fire and into the trees. Yang swiftly blocked or dodged the boy as his tomahawks whistled passed her face. "Gaegan you're falling into a pattern, don't let me predict your strikes!" she jabbed him the side as she gave him some room to recover.

Taja ripped from the tree line like a bullet, her rifle now morphed into a polearm as she tried to come at Yang from behind. Yang deftly grabbed the weapon by its haft as she raised her other arm. "All right you two. That's enough."

Taja and Gaegan both collapsed to the ground gasping for breath. Yang placed taja's weapon on the ground, "Don't let go of weapon if you can help it Little Rose," she ruffled the girl's hair as she grumbled at the pet name.

"Yes Auntie Yang."

"And you," Gaegan's tail shot straight as Yang's attention was brought back to him. "You let me reach this clearing when you could have used your night-vision better in the lowlight of the trees. Why?"

Gaegan sat quietly for a moment before responding, "Because Taja wouldn't be able to support me as well in the trees. Her weapon isn't suited for the close forest."

Yang smiled at his answer. "Acceptable answer, son."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Acceptable indeed," Yang and the two teens turned to see Blake waltzing out from the trees. "But you still should have known that I was watching the fight," Yang gave a crooked grin as Blake walked up to her. "And you know that everyone will be arriving soon. You all need to get back to Beacon and get cleaned up. Honestly," Blake shook her head, "you can be worse than May when it comes to remembering these things."

"Hey, don't lump me in with that woman, not my fault she doesn't keep a schedule."

"Don't be mean to my Mom, Auntie!" Taja crowed.

"It's true and you know it, squirt," she stuck her tongue out at the girl only to stiffen as Blake snuck up behind her.

"Careful with that thing… or I might just put it to better use," Blake's voice was hardly a whisper against her neck, sending a delightful shiver down her spine even after all of these years.

"All right punks! Let's hurry back, then. It is your mom's birthday we're celebrating," Yang ignored Blake's throaty laugh as she rushed back to Beacon with the three of them in tow.

_~~YBYB~~_

"Mom, Momma!" Taja leapt at Ruby and May as the pair left the airship, she hugged them fiercely. Yang watched on with a smile as she walked forward with Blake beside her.

"Hey little sister, happy birthday," she wrapped Ruby, May and Taja in a bear hug, breathing in the fresh scent from her sister's hair.

"Hi, Yang. It's good to see you."

"It's only been a couple of weeks, sis. But wow, how old are you now?"

"Ugh, don't make me say it. I'm old, okay?"

"Forty-one if I recall correctly," Blake's voice filled with mirth.

Yang laughed as she removed herself for the hug to let Blake in. Ruby's childish pout brought a smile to her face. She smiled fondly as May kissed the side of Ruby's head.

"You don't look a day over twenty-five, Ruby."

"At least my wife is kind to me," Ruby's glare was adorable, "unlike you traitors."

"Okay, okay, Rubes. Let's go inside and get this party started, everyone else is already here, even our dusty uncle made it in."

"Of course he did," Ruby's voice was all-knowing, " _I'm_ his favorite."

Yang sighed happily, "Yes Ruby, yes you are."

_~~YBYB~~_

Yang closed her eyes as she breathed in the crisp night air, wanting to get away from the partygoers for a bit.

Twenty-six years. Dust, that fateful day was so long ago now. Yang looked around the rebuilt grounds of Beacon, so many years of peace after they were able to retake Vale and defeat Salem. Unfortunately, huntsmen and huntresses were still needed. Even with the demise of Salem, the Creatures of Grimm were still around. Though without Salem for a command structure, the Grimm were beginning to dwindle. With the steady decline of Grimm brought its own sets of challenges. People set in old ways who still held on to beliefs like Faunus being second-class, bandits who continued to take advantage of safer highways for their thievery.

But still, the world hadn't seen better days.

"Lien for your thoughts?" Blake seems to have snuck up on her again.

"Just thinking of the past," she looked back at Blake, "we're getting old now, aren't we?"

Blake hummed thoughtfully, "I suppose so. But I think we still have a few more adventures left in us yet," Blake wrapped her in a warm embrace which she returned without a thought.

"You think we can achieve world peace before our Gaegan graduates from Beacon?"

"And what makes you think that he'll want to go to Beacon? Maybe he'll want to go to Mistral. Pyrrha _is_ Headmistress of Haven Academy."

"But Beacon was our school."

"Which was destroyed after before we finished our first year."

"We still graduated."

"Field promotion to full Huntress doesn't really count."

"Be quiet you old grumpy cat."

"I am not _grumpy!"_

Yang laughed when Blake knocked her to the ground and straddled her, she then stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Don't tell me you forgot I would put that thing to use if you weren't careful?"

Yang gave Blake a sultry smile, "What do you think?"

The pair simply stared at one another fondly. The fresh air pleasant and the drone of music and laughter from the dining hall equally so.

"I love you," she wrapped her arms around Blake, bringing the Faunus down to her, enjoying the loud purring Blake let loose.

"I love you too, Yang."

Their lives have been difficult. So much pain and anguish had brought them and their families to this point. But, it has been a good life…

…and it'll only continue to get better…till the end of their days.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who read the story! And for any and all comments and kudos! (wink, wink :P) Hope you all enjoyed the story (Jeez, I hope you did if you made this far).
> 
> Oh, and Happy Halloween!


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